We’re already halfway through the semester and for many of us, the workload is beginning to pile up. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), anywhere from “80% to 95% of college students procrastinate, particularly when it comes to doing their course work.” Finding motivation and staying consistent with our studies can be really challenging at this part of the school year, so here are five Japanese techniques to help with motivation when your bed begins to look more and more appealing (we’ve all been there).

1. Kaizen

Kaizen is a philosophy that emphasises continuous improvement and making progress every day, no matter how small. The key idea is that small improvements compound over time and lead to substantial progress. The best way to do this is to break larger tasks into smaller segments and set small achievable goals. For example, if you have to read and annotate a 30-page document, sitting down with the goal of doing only the first 5 pages is much less daunting than sitting down to do it all at once. This approach allows you to break free from the cycle of procrastination and helps develop a productive and disciplined mindset.

2. Pomodoro technique

The Pomodoro technique is a well-known time-management technique that can boost your productivity. Italian in origin, it is more popular in Japan and has earned its place on this list. It works by breaking your tasks into 25-minute intervals, called ‘pomodoros’, followed by a short 5-minute break or a longer 15-minute break and then repeating. This technique allows you to stay focused for long periods of time without burning out. Once you get the hang of it, it’s a real game-changer. You can find plenty of Pomodoro timers online but I’d personally recommend using pomofocus.io

3. Shoshin 

Shoshin is a popular concept in Zen Buddhism, meaning ‘beginner’s mind.’ Shoshin is all about having an attitude of openness, eagerness and lack of prejudice when learning something new, even if you’re an expert at that thing. As university students (many of us international and living abroad for the first time) our twenties are the perfect time to give everything a go. Don’t stress the small details and have fun learning something new. Don’t worry about being perfect or having all the answers – just be open to learning and trying new things, that’s what Shoshin is all about. If you’re interested in learning more about this, I’d recommend reading “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind” by Shunryu Suzuki.

4. Gaman

Gaman, another Zen Buddhist term, means “enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity.” The term is generally translated as ‘grit,’ ‘patience’ or ‘endurance’ and is a passive concept, focusing on not complaining in the process of working with others. As with all things in life, there will be lectures, assignments and exams that we, as students, aren’t particularly excited about. Gaman is an essential part of the Japanese work ethic that we can learn from to help push through tough times when feeling lazy or unmotivated.

5. Forest bathing

Despite how it may sound, the term ‘forest bathing’ doesn’t actually refer to bathing in a forest. ‘Forest bathing,’ known in Japan as shinrin yoku, is a simple practice of being calm and quiet amongst nature. Spending just a small amount of time in nature every day has been scientifically proven to reduce stress and improve your mood, so put away the books, put down your phone (and your headphones too) and go touch some grass. If this interests you and you’d like to learn more, consider checking out our guide to hiking in Prague.

Whether you procrastinate because of anxiety, boredom, pursuit of perfection or other reasons, it can strangle your potential. Hopefully applying some of these techniques during your free time will pay off at the end of the semester when exams come around.

Alicia Ross-Adams