Kaizen: Rome (and your Inbox) Wasn’t Built in a Day
Ah, Kaizen. It sounds like the name of a zen garden-themed cocktail, but it’s actually one of the sharpest tools in your productivity shed. For the uninitiated, Kaizen is a Japanese word that loosely translates to “continuous improvement.” Think of it as self-help, minus the hype and the need to buy an expensive workbook with inspirational quotes and pictures of mountain climbers.
Here’s the gist: You don’t need to overhaul your entire life to be better at it. You just need to improve—a little bit—every day. It’s related to that work paradigm, “What’s one thing we need to start doing? Keep doing? Stop doing?”
Kaizen is one reason Toyota makes rock-solid cars and why Joyce in accounting has a structured inbox, balanced macros, and an office that smells faintly of cinnamon cookies.
But Kaizen isn’t just for car companies and Joyces. It’s for you. Yes, you—with your 27 open browser tabs and your noble intention to start journalling every morning, just as soon as you find the time. Here’s how to Kaizen your life without breaking a sweat:
Start Small. Smaller than that. Want to read more? Start with one page a day. Don’t worry, the book won’t spoil.
Make It a Habit, not a heroic effort. Kaizen doesn’t wear a cape. It’s not dramatic. It’s brushing your teeth every night, not flossing for 25 minutes before a dentist appointment.
Track Progress like it’s a game. Did you organize your desktop today? Celebrate like you found a $50 bill in the couch cushions.
Iterate like a scientist. Tried something and it flopped? Perfect. That’s data. Now tweak, adjust, and try again.
Kaizen is a quiet revolution. It’s the art of getting 1% better every day. Do that for a year, and you’ll be, umm, many times better. (Sorry, math was never my strong suit.)
So next time you’re tempted to burn it all down and start fresh, take a breath. Then ask: “What’s one tiny thing I could improve today?” That’s Kaizen. And it’s how you slowly, steadily, sneakily become unstoppable.
Karl Plesz
Your Productivity Guru
(Getting 1% better at writing every week)
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