Studying, working or performing any daily task requires a lot of concentration and clarity. However, some people tend to have cloudy minds and fleeting attention spans. Efficiency, self-control and mindfulness have been highly valued in Japanese society for a long time. Many methods that Japanese people apply in their daily activities can enhance attention and concentration, which is beneficial in both personal and professional contexts. Here are 7 Japanese methods that can improve your ability to concentrate:
Meditate
The core practice of Zen Buddhism, Zazen, involves sitting in meditation while paying attention to one’s posture and breathing. Benefits: Consistent Zazen practice develops mental clarity and awareness. Reducing distractions and improving the ability to focus intently on tasks can be achieved through teaching the mind to be present.
Shodo
Shodo means the practice of writing Japanese characters with a brush and ink to emphasize precision and fluency. This increases attention to detail because technical writing requires a high level of concentration and control. By implementing the repetitive movements of calligraphy and meditative elements, your hand-eye coordination and ability to focus for prolonged periods will be enhanced.
Misoji
The power of a clean surrounding is very important for a person to concentrate and study. Misoji is a term for simplifying, arranging and organizing your space. The concept of Misoji is inspired by minimalism and promotes clearing mental and physical clutter. A neat, tidy workspace helps minimize disruptions, and clearing mental clutter can improve clarity, focus, and concentration.
Ikigai
Also the title of a famous book, Ikigai translates as “reason for existence”. Ikigai is looking for meaning in his work. Concentration will naturally improve when tasks align with your ikigai as you become more motivated and interested. By having a sense of purpose, you can easily achieve clarity and focus.
Kaizen
Kaizen is the term for continuous development in your daily operations. Kaizen promotes continuous and incremental improvement in whatever you do. Kaizen can help a person develop discipline and focus without making you feel overwhelmed. It makes people focus on one action at a time. By following this strategy, you can steadily increase your productivity and mental attention.
Origami paper folding
Are you an artist by nature? Then this is for you! Origami is a traditional Japanese craft that involves folding paper into complex shapes and patterns. This can exercise your brain because origami requires precise movements and close attention to directions, which improves concentration and problem-solving abilities. By completing complex shapes on plain paper through a methodical process encourages one to concentrate and improve concentration.
Pomodoro method
If you have trouble organizing your study schedule, pomodoro is a time management method based on intervals. The Pomodoro method is inspired by the Japanese ideal of work and requires working for 25 minutes followed by a 5-minute break. Over time, your ability to concentrate will improve as these short but focused bursts of work can keep your mind active and prevent fatigue.
Morning routine for a long and healthy life
