Statistics shows that more people, around 63%, prefer flexibility characterizing work-life balance to other types of incentives, or as Morgan (2023) says, work-life navigation. However, try to approach your work-life balance from the perspective of harmony (when separate professional and personal life parts coexist in unity) rather than balance and introduce the principles of 10 Japanese philosophies for harmony in your life. Overall, your perception determines whether you are in harmony with yourself and the world.

1. Ikigai Philosophy of Life Purpose

The word “Ikigai” covers the concept of “life” and “worth” or “reason for being” (Gaines, 2020).

If you find your Ikigai, you will stop thinking about getting work-life balance, as your professional life becomes harmonized with your personal life or becomes part of it.

The basis of Ikigai:

• Do what you like to do;
• Choose to do what you are good at doing;
• Consider what services or products people around you need and want to pay for.

Finding your Ikigai or purpose can make your life meaningful and fulfilled because your job is in harmony with your skills and passion as well as needs of the world. It shows that you are part of this world and not in isolation.

Implementing this Japanese philosophy can make you find meaning and purpose to wake up and start acting, live every minute meaningfully and bring value to the world.

2. Wabi-Sabi as one of Japanese Philosophies for Harmony

Wabi-Sabi is one of the most powerful Japanese philosophies that teaches that everything in this life is transient. It teaches the acceptance of imperfection and its beauty.

Accept this life as it is, with all its flaws, to achieve inner peace.

3. Shikata ga nai or “It Cannot Be Helped”

This philosophy means that you should not worry about things you cannot control and instead accept the situation as it is. Think of the worth of things or what you have instead of what is lost.

Enjoy the beauty of nature around and moments you can spend with close people or in beautiful places.

This philosophy helps you remain calm and stable while adapting to circumstances that cannot be controlled.

4. Mono no Aware or “Sensitivity to Passing Things“

This philosophy is about the transience of things. It teaches that things in life are impermanent, and it is possible to achieve harmony and gratitude through feelings.

Try to notice changes in nature, and you will understand that everything in it is impermanent. Peope are also part of nature. Thus, nothing is permanent in our lives. Harmony is also dynamic. You can achieve it only through noticing and understanding that everything is changing, and you should find beauty in these changes.

5. Gaman or Resilience

As it can be seen, all these Japanese philosophies for harmony are connected and united by acceptance of something that cannot be changed, noticing the beauty of this world and nature, and remaining strong in the face of difficulties.

In difficult situations, try to implement the Japanese concept of Gaman or resilience. First of all, it may require accepting your fate and than staying composed in difficult situations through self-discipline and self-control.

Finally, Gaman is about endurance. Try to develop it in the face of challenges, remembering that difficulties are temporary or transient.

6. Oubaitori or Personal Acceptance

You should not only learn to accept the situation that cannot be changed, but also accept yourself with all your peculiarities.

The only person you can compare yourself is you in the past. Sop comparing yourself to others. The strength of others does not make you weak.

Imagine all people are various trees like apples, plums, or pears. They grow and bloom without comparison to each other. Accept yourself as a unique personality with your own path. You may be “a different tree” that needs the right time to bloom. The beauty of other trees does not make you less beautiful. You are unique and beautiful in your own way. Pursue your individual development and growth.

7. Kintsugi or the Repair of Broken Pottery

This Japanese philosophy can be translated from the art of “repairing with gold,” as described by Olivetti (2023), to human lives with all imperfections like those on broken pottery. Find strength in the beauty of these imperfections that reflect the history of your life rather than mistakes.

8. Yuugen or Profound Beauty Beyond Words

Try to find the beauty in everything around you, in every process or each nature piece. he word means “obscure” or something that is not visible at first. Try to feel the beauty of things instead of seeing it. Practice mindfulness to detect unseen or intangible beauty. An example is a tea ceremony. Make a ceremony from a daily task you do regularly.

9. Nemawashi or Thoughtful Decision-Making

It means taking measures to prepare for changes through laying the foundation for them. What you should do to implement this philosophy and ensure harmony:

• Consider interests of others or stakeholders
• Discussing with them for reaching a consensus
• Planning

The philosophy helps to minimize conflicts, reflecting that a human being does not exist in isolation from the world, but is part of it and should cooperate with others.

This philosophy is especially useful in business: GATHER INFORMATION OR DATA for your proposed change – DISCUSS AND SEEK FEEDBACK with OTHERS – ADDRESS BLOCKERS AND REACH a CONSENSUS – MAKE a DECISION.

10. Kaizen or the Philosophy of Continuous Improvement

In the Western world, continuous improvement is closely linked with continuous learning. Kaizen entails small steps taken gradually that change your life and lead to long-term growth.

Try to embrace continuous education through several minutes a day being dedicated to learning and improving your life through discipline. In business, the concept covers the involvements of the staff on all levels in minimizing waste and improving operations and processes.

Takeaways

All these Japanese philosophies for harmony will help you perceive your life and yourself from a different perspective:

• Practice acceptance
• Notice the beauty in simple things and nature
• Develop resilience
• Accept circumstances you cannot change
• Improve continuously
• Make thoughtful decisions based on planning and feedback
• Find your life purpose and your work will bring you happiness
• Remember that everything is transient
• Learn to appreciate the beauty of imperfections

References

Gaines, J. (2020, November 17). The philosophy of Ikigai: 3 examples about finding purpose. Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/ikigai/

Morgan, K. (2023, February 28). What does work-life balance mean in a changed work world? BBC. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230227-what-does-work-life-balance-mean-in-a-changed-work-world

Olivetti, K. (2023). Kintsugi – art of repair. Jung Journal, 17(3), 131-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/19342039.2023.2224729