Most of my stress doesn’t come from “too much work.”
It comes from:
- trying to do everything at once
- aiming for perfection
- losing discipline when motivation drops
- eating heavy and then feeling low-energy
- forgetting the bigger “why” behind what I’m building
So I decided to keep things simple.
I picked 5 Japanese principles and turned them into a wallpaper so I see them every day—on my screen, at work, during chaos, during low mood, during busy weeks.
If you’re building a business, trying to improve your health, or just want more control over your day, these 5 ideas are powerful.
1) Kaizen (改善) — 1% better every day
Kaizen is the simplest productivity rule I know:
Don’t aim for a massive transformation. Aim for a small improvement you can repeat daily.
When I follow Kaizen, my focus becomes:
- “What’s the next tiny step?”
- “What can I improve today—just a little?”
How I use it (practical):
- If I’m procrastinating → I do 5 minutes only.
- If I’m building a product → I ship a small piece (one UI, one bug fix, one feature slice).
- If I’m learning → I do one small lesson or one concept.
Small daily progress beats big occasional motivation.
2) Hara Hachi Bu (腹八分目) — stop at 80% full
This one is underrated.
Hara Hachi Bu means:
Eat until you are about 80% full, not stuffed.
Why it matters (for me):
- heavy eating = low energy
- low energy = low productivity
- low productivity = stress + guilt
- stress + guilt = more bad habits
How I apply it:
- I slow down while eating
- I stop when I feel “almost full”
- I don’t eat until I feel sleepy
It’s not a diet. It’s just a rule that keeps my energy stable.
3) Ikigai (生き甲斐) — your reason to wake up
Ikigai is your daily “why.”
It’s not always some deep spiritual thing. Sometimes it’s simple:
- building something meaningful
- helping your family
- becoming healthier
- creating freedom through skills
When I forget my Ikigai, I start living only in “urgent tasks.”
And urgent tasks alone can slowly kill motivation.
How I use it: Every morning I ask myself:
“What’s one meaningful thing I want to do today?”
Even if the day is messy, one meaningful action keeps me grounded.
4) Wabi-Sabi (侘寂) — imperfect is okay
This principle is a cure for perfectionism.
Wabi-Sabi is about accepting that things can be:
- imperfect
- unfinished
- simple
- real
For builders (especially founders), this is huge.
Because perfectionism creates delays. And delays create regret.
My rule:
Version 1 is allowed to be ugly.
Ship it. Then improve it with Kaizen.
5) Ganbaru (頑張る) — keep going even when it’s hard
Ganbaru is not “hustle culture.”
It’s more like:
Keep going with discipline—especially when you don’t feel like it.
Motivation is unreliable.
Ganbaru is what remains when motivation disappears.
How I use it:
- On low days, I still show up for a small block
- I don’t negotiate with my “lazy mood”
- I aim for consistency, not intensity
Even 20 minutes done daily is Ganbaru.
The daily routine I’m trying to follow (simple)
Here’s the practical version:
- Kaizen: Do the next tiny step today
- Hara Hachi Bu: Eat lighter → keep energy stable
- Ikigai: Do one meaningful action daily
- Wabi-Sabi: Don’t wait for perfect—ship V1
- Ganbaru: Show up even on low-mood days
That’s it.
No complicated system. Just daily reminders.
Wallpaper (free)
I turned these 5 principles into a wallpaper so it keeps reminding me.
If you want it, you can use it too:
- Desktop / office screen
- laptop lock screen
- mobile wallpaper
Download it here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JncvgXaaNyKkX7-JE7oIjv39Ld39QFTV?usp=sharing
Final thought
If you’re struggling with focus, procrastination, or inconsistency—don’t try to fix your whole life in one day.
Pick one principle and practice it for 7 days.
My suggestion:
Start with Kaizen + Wabi-Sabi.
They help you move forward fast.
Which one do you need most right now?
Kaizen, Hara Hachi Bu, Ikigai, Wabi-Sabi, or Ganbaru?
