Are you wanting to make changes in your life, but unsure of how to begin, or even figure out what should be changed? Do you find yourself setting overly ambitious resolutions or goals, only to find that yourself abandoning them a few later, unsure of how or why you just couldn’t seem to accomplish them?  Perhaps it’s not that the goal or resolution is truly incapable of being taken on, but maybe it’s a matter of HOW you are approaching the situation. Let’s take a step back and see if we cannot find a new way to begin looking at ways to effect change. Masaaki Imai, an author and consultant, studied and compiled data on productivity principles, and in addition to founding an instituted dedicated to the study of Kaizen, he is the author of “Kaizen: Japanese Spirit of Improvement” (1985).  The word “Kaizen” is a combination of “kai” and “Zen.” Most westerners have heard of Zen, a school of Buddhism that focuses on simplicity, living in the present, and removing extraneous rituals from spiritual practice. “Kai” refers to change. Putting these two profound concepts together, Kaizen then translates to mean “continuous improvement.” It’s a “do better every day, with everyone, and everywhere” philosophy. Although these principles may seem burdensome in theory, humans are hardwired to seek improvement, so most of them can be applied instinctively. 

Let’s start simple. Here are 3 ways to apply Kaizen philosophy on a personal level.  

• Determine where your time and energy is wasted.
• Ask yourself what small steps you can make to be more productive or efficient.
• Set aside time to review what’s working and what could be improved.