"I first discovered the Japanese concept of kaizen during a sometimes stressful but ultimately wonderful time of my life. I had turned 30, quit my job in London, and moved to Tokyo with just a small pot of savings to survive on. I had only a rudimentary command of Japanese and knew just a handful of people in a city with a population of 14 million. To say I was a fish out of water would be an understatement."
"Despite Tokyo and London both being huge international cities, the lifestyle in Japan was dramatically different, and like many people, I often retreat into old bad habits for comfort during periods of significant change. I was freelancing and fell out of having a regular schedule, often working late into the night to keep up with London and New York hours."
An individual moved to Tokyo at age 30 after quitting a job in London, arriving with limited savings, rudimentary Japanese, and few acquaintances. The change disrupted routines, prompted late-night freelancing across time zones, increased takeaway coffee consumption, and halted regular yoga practice. Food habits worsened due to ingredient availability and cost, resulting in tiredness, overstimulation, and neglected self-care. Kaizen, translated as "good change," was adopted as a practical method. Kaizen originated as a post-war Japanese business development theory introduced by American leaders, emphasizing very small, consistent tweaks to improve systems, habits, and outcomes over time.
Read at Big Think
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