Tag: ikigai

Categories
Wellness

Ikigai, but in Japan it is probably not work

The Japanese word Ikigai is known worldwide. It translates as the reason for living, one’s purpose in life. (1) Ikigai is associated with a longer life. (2) Please see our blog post of May 8, 2021.

Surveys (3, 4) of Japanese workers’ attitude to work indicate its relative lack of importance.

 JapanWorldwide
Importance of work in your life48%72%
My job gives me a sense of purpose38%57%

Source: Nippon.com (3)

72% of employees surveyed responded that they did not want to become a manager. (4) The reasons for this are shown below (multiple replies possible).

Reasons for not wanting a management position
No desire for advancement51%
Too many additional responsibilities50%
Increased workload43%
Not suited to management38%
Work is easier in current position25%
Would ruin my work-life balance24%
Salary would not increase proportionately23%
Satisfied with current situation9%
Don’t intend to stay with the company long-term8%
Wouldn’t be able to do the work I like7%

Source: Nippon.com (4)

This has implications for household finances. Previously office workers advanced with seniority, and the gradual increase in managerial responsibilities (being accountable for the performance of more people). Incomes grew steadily with time. This facilitated family formation and retirement savings. For the 70% of people that now wish to avoid advancement, incomes are less likely to grow.

It also suggests that many of Japan’s managers under the old system were performing management roles against their desire. This was probably associated with high stress.

References:

  1. Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles, 2016.
  2. Relationship of having hobbies and a purpose in life with mortality, activities of daily living, and instrumental activities of daily living among community-dwelling elderly adults, by Kimiko Tomioka, Norio Kurumatani, and Hiroshi Hosoi, March 5, 2016
  3. Survey reveals Japanese Attitudes toward Work, Nippon.com, April 19, 2023
  4. Management positions Lose their Appeal to Japanese Employees, Nippon.com, February 22, 2023
Categories
Wellness

Volunteering, Community Activities, Reduce Mortality Risk

Mikuni Matsuri, Fukui Prefecture

Let’s go to Japanese Festivals!

There is scientific evidence that those who do volunteer activities are healthier.

One study (1) investigated the impact of volunteer activity over a four-year period. Participants were aged over 50 (average age 66) with 59% being women, 66% married. There was a control group who undertook no volunteering activity. The key conclusions were:

1) During the 4-year follow-up period, those volunteering 100 hours a year or more (versus zero hours a year) had a 44% reduced risk of mortality.

2) Of the health and well-being indicators that were monitored, the measures which improved are clustered principally in “psychological well-being/distress” and “social factors” classifications. A detailed table is available in a background paper, here.

A review (2) of over 1000 academic research studies over 1990-2020 looking at the relationship between exercise and mental health commented:

Physical health is clearly intertwined with mental health in a bidirectional fashion. Scientific evidence shows that changes in thinking patterns and behaviors affect neurological, endocrine, and immune systems. Conversely, disruption in these biological systems negatively impacts mental health.

With the intertwining of mental health and physical health, community activity, participation in local festivals, volunteering in general, has an overall beneficial effect.

References:

  1. Volunteering and Subsequent Health and Well-Being in Older Adults: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach, by Eric S Kim, Ashley Whillans, Matthew T Lee, Ying Chen, and Tyler Vanderweele, 2020
  2. Move Your Mental Health, A review of the scientific evidence on the role of exercise and physical activity on mental health, by John W. Brick, mental foundation, May 2021
Categories
Wellness

Ikigai, Longevity & Hobbies

Ikigai increases longevity, hobbies even more so.

Ikigai, having a purpose in life, an age-old Japanese ideology, rose to global prominence with the international bestseller “Ikigai – The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life” by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles, published in 2016, English translation published in 2017. Ikigai Google searches (topic and search terms) have continued to rise since 2016 (source: trends.google.com).

The academic support (1) for Ikigai leading to a longer life, found that the mortality rate per 100 person-years was significantly reduced for those identifying as having a purpose in life (table below).

 Study deathsPerson-yearsMortality rate
Neither83782.010.61
Ikigai only561025.95.46
Hobbies only18469.83.83
Both914184.72.17

The mortality rate was reduced even more for those with both Ikigai and hobbies. Interestingly, the mortality rate was lower for those with hobbies only versus ikigai only. The authors discussed possible explanations, with hobbies perhaps strengthening neural networks, and/or being the cause of physical activity, a higher quality of life etc.

One potential positive byproduct of the Covid-19 related lockdowns is people taking up new hobbies.

If so, the more the better.

A follow-up study to the one above, (2) found a “10% lower risk of death for 2 hobbies and 31% lower risk for 5 hobbies compared to zero hobbies”. Especially effective were hobbies that involved physical activity and/or social interaction.

Japan began a hiking boom in 2010, (3) which now is broadening into increased camping activity. (4)

Even stuck indoors looking at the walls presents something to draw – though it is better to ramble into the woods, draw, and chat to passersby.

References:

  1. Relationship of having hobbies and a purpose in life with mortality, activities of daily living, and instrumental activities of daily living among community-dwelling elderly adults, by Kimiko Tomioka, Norio Kurumatani, and Hiroshi Hosoi, March 5, 2016
  2. https://www.jages.net/library/pressrelease/?action=cabinet_action_main_download&block_id=4030&room_id=549&cabinet_id=253&file_id=9296&upload_id=11909
  3. Trends in Japan 2010: Yama boom, Japan Times, 20 December 2010
  4. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/bizstream/20210410/2074099/