Small Change, Big Impact: Lesson I learned from Japan’s Energy Crisis
Back in 2005, Japan faced an energy crisis. It was using much more energy than it could produce which resulted in 80% of its electricity being sourced from other countries.
Now, when you’re heavily reliant on other countries for your energy, you’re basically at their mercy. They can set the prices high, and you’d have little choice but to pay up.
Most countries would be forced into spending billions and waiting years to see if their energy-saving strategies would even work.
But Japan was a whole different story. Japan decided to take a different path. The government noticed a lot of energy was being wasted on air conditioning in corporate offices. Why was this? Because everyone was wearing formal suits all year round, even during the hot summer months. This required the AC to be set at lower temperatures, thus using more energy.
The solution was pretty ingenious yet simple. The government suggested that everyone in the offices should start wearing casual clothes instead. This way, they could set the AC temperatures a bit higher, from 26 degrees to a comfortable 28 degrees. ‘
This led to reduced use of energy, thus solving Japan’s energy crisis. A simple yet effective solution, I mean who would have thought asking people to wear casual clothes to work would overcome a national energy crisis?
What lesson can we learned from Japan energy crisis?
Small Changes, Big Impact: It reminds us that seemingly small changes can have a significant impact. Encouraging office workers to dress more casually during the summer didn’t seem like a big move, but it resulted in substantial energy savings.
Here is real case of how small changes in my life have a big impact.
A few years ago I decided I need to read more books as I can say that I rarely read book despite knowing the benefit of reading books.
I started reading for about half an hour each day. At first, it didn’t seem like much, but over time, this small habit had a significant impact.
Reading broadened my perspective, introduced me to new ideas and concepts, and helped me develop better critical thinking skills. My communication skills improved as well. I found myself having more engaging conversations, which helped me build better relationships both personally and professionally.
I also read that reading helps reinforce the information and improves comprehension and recall.
As I started to write about the interesting concepts I read, I realized that writing didn’t just reinforce my understanding, but it also helped me connect different ideas in ways I hadn’t considered before. It sparked my creativity and enhanced my critical thinking skills.
So, I started sharing my writings online. It was thrilling to see my ideas out there in the world. Not all of my pieces were hits. Some posts had just a few views, but others caught attention and resonated with a wider audience. The feedback, comments, and interactions were enlightening and motivating.
But the biggest surprise came when I received an email notifying me of my first earning from my writing. A company had come across one of my articles and I got paid! I was overjoyed. It wasn’t a huge sum, but it was a powerful validation of my efforts.
This small decision of reading half an hour daily and jotting down my thoughts turned into a writing habit. Not only has it transformed my perspective and way of thinking but it also help me earning some income
This is a testament to how a small change can truly lead to significant impacts.
Life is a series of moments and choices. While it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the idea of monumental change, sometimes it’s the small changes that end up making the biggest difference.
Just as Japan’s energy crisis was eased by a shift in clothing habits, or how my simple daily reading routine evolved into a rewarding writing journey, so too can small adjustments in your own life lead to surprise.
So if you happened to just make a little change in your like dedicating a few minutes each day to mindful meditation, or perhaps it’s setting aside a few moments to write in a journal, keep doing it. You will never know how these small changes can impact your life!
