The Kaizen Method Against Laziness In Children – Being Parents

We often tolerate the laziness of children more easily than that of adults. However, there comes  a time in childhood when lack of activity is more of a concern, especially among adolescents. In order to remedy this lack of activity, the Japanese use the Kaizen Method, a method designed to help children show more willpower to work.

It’s not just about laziness doing housework or tidying up their room; laziness can sometimes also weigh on school exercises. Likewise, children may show laziness in activities that appeal to them.  It often happens that they lack motivation and take a long time to do the things they need to do, without this having any negative consequences.

But why are children lazy? Can we help them turn that laziness into energy? The Kaizen method seems to meet these needs. This technique practiced by the Japanese  works and applies in most situations.

How does the Kaizen method work?

We have already seen how laziness works in children: they  are slowed down in daily activities, faced with math problems or at a simple request from their mother. They may also have difficulty getting up early or brushing their teeth, let alone picking up toys.

For all this, there is the rule of the minute: the Kaizen method or the rule of the minute. Kaizen is the Japanese name for this continuous improvement technique. It is a very effective method to counter laziness and procrastination. In summary, this method avoids leaving things unfinished and relies on the fact that we would be more persistent when our time is devoted to a single task.

This method is both effective in children and adults, and could therefore also help parents improve, if needed.

The Kaizen method procedure

• With consistency and dedication, we plan a daily task that must be done at the same time every day. To do this, we start a timer for one minute, time exclusively dedicated to achieving the goal. Since it is only a minute, the child cannot complain about the activity assigned to him. The timer helps motivate him and indicates when he needs to hurry.

• Remember that the scheduled task should be the same every day and be done at the same time. That is, if your child is having trouble putting away their toys, this task will be on their list every day.  And for a minute, he’ll devote himself to picking up his mess.
• It is important to be consistent and stay with the child while he is doing his job. Remember to set a timer with a one-minute countdown. This is the time he must meet to ensure that the task is completed on time.
• For children, the Kaizen method is effective because they internalize it and see it as a game. It can be fun to rush to finish on time.  And it doesn’t take much to spend 60 seconds on a task.
• In the case of homework, the rule of the minute is broken down into steps. One minute for this operation, one to complete this reading, another to color this map. Determining the time for each exercise allows for greater concentration and helps to minimize the time spent on it.

When he gets used to it and doesn’t feel the pressure, your child will probably no longer worry about time and will perform these tasks automatically. As soon as an improvement is observed, it is possible to increase the working time to 5 minutes then to 10 minutes. And it will eventually become a habit to control laziness and unwillingness.

The origin of the Kaizen method

Japanese Masaaki Imai created this technique by identifying the reasons why we can be lazy. Although it is also applicable to adults, in the case of children, one should avoid tackling complex tasks from the start. Children usually do not show willpower when they know that the activity may take a long time for them.

Lack of motivation and the prospect of not being able to finish successfully also causes the slowdown in their work. Sometimes the lack of consequences is the main reason for laziness. If we want our child to comply with something, without taking sanctions when he does not, then he will not feel an obligation.

Masaaki Imai believes that the process of gradual improvement creates very deep habits. According to the name of the method, the idea is to gain internal knowledge of oneself for the purpose of change. And change shouldn’t require a lot of effort, so there can be motivation and persistence.

Cover image used with permission from kwanchaichaiudom