1% better every day

1% better every day

14th January 2025

[Source: The Probe November 2024]

Starting with a personal admission – I have a tattoo which is always, without fail, misunderstood. I chose “1%” for its links with Kaizen theory – improving somehow, in some way, each day, even if it’s just by 1%. It isn’t, as is often thought, a desire to be in the top 1% of the world’s elite.

Kaizen theory is all about small, incremental steps. It can be applied to most things but, for me, it is a way to navigate long-term projects. It could be about improving your career path, health and fitness, finances, or tackling down-time and relaxation. You can apply it broadly across your life or specifically in one area – such as making time to read or run. Whatever your area of focus might be, the 1% principle can be applied. 

1% of your day equates to 14.4 minutes – so let’s say a quarter of one hour each day is all you need to find. You can allocate whatever time you can spare (see points 3 and 4 below) but keeping it small and manageable is the key. Also the beauty of a short burst of time is that it gives you just enough of a buzz so you are eager for the next. Weirdly this concept also works well for things you don’t want to do, but that’s a different article.

Top tips for 1% improvements

1. Define your focus

Think about what will serve you better. It could be nutrition, exercise, education… anything you like. Take some time to work out what ‘better’ looks like. If we pick ‘career’ as an example, it would be important to have a direction for this. Say you want to know more about opening and running your own dental practice… what do you need to know? Write it down, reduce the big picture into lots of thoughts. They don’t need to be linear, enjoy exploring and thinking about what you’d like to improve.

• Develop a daily habit that supports your 1% intent

You could decide that reading, listening to podcasts, attending webinars, talking to colleagues or starting a business plan will help you on your journey. You are likely to consider a range of resources – but it’s best to make a start through the creation of good habits as the most effective way to achieve your 1%. This is because you’ll start to address your habits regularly, every day, maybe even at the same time of day. 

• Get rid of a daily habit that hinders your 1% intent

In the same way that good intentions have the most impact, so can regular negative activity. The obvious culprits are the ever-present phone addiction, working too many hours, eating junk food and other things that just don’t serve you. We all do it. Decide which habits can go and incorporate that as a daily action. For phone addicts there are a few things you can try – move your most time-sapping apps off your phone’s home screen. Put a timer on your daily use so you get an alert when you’ve over-indulged. Think about what you can remember from yesterday’s doomscrolling (exactly, not much!) and gain some valuable time back each day.

• Be prepared

If you are only spending a minimum amount of time each day on your self-serving, positive actions, make sure you are good to go at the right time. If you’re journalling, note-taking or planning, have your laptop, notebook and information to hand. If you are reading, have the book or kindle in the spot where you will next have down-time. If you are listening to a podcast, charge up overnight so you can listen on the way to work. Be 1% ready! 

• Flex

Don’t be afraid to revise your daily habits, revisit and assess them, changing them as you like. You can really have some fun with this project – try combining some of your intentions, such as listening to your podcast whilst walking. If you literally can’t find time, consider your whole routine – 15 minutes should be achievable by everyone, even if it’s time stolen from your commute or lunch break. If you find it’s not working very well, be mindful of the fact that you may not see results immediately – this is long-haul, so think ‘little and often’.There’s a lot you can take away from setting yourself up to be better. I can’t think of any negatives to be honest. I find the 1% concept exciting. It’s motivating in a most particular way – it’s gradual, regular and achievable. At the very least, 1% each day, over the year, is actually a mighty 37 times improvement overall – that’s got to be worth it!

Back to Blog