What is "Dandori"?
Dandori (段取り) is a Japanese term referring to the preparation, arrangement, and sequence of steps needed to carry out a plan. It does not map neatly to a single English word, and I often compare it to Feng Shui. If Feng Shui is curating a flow of energy in your space, Dandori is the flow of energy in your actions. Dandorism is our exploration of Dandori as an everyday philosophy: arranging our time, tools, environment, and actions so life can proceed with less friction.
It’s not just about planning with schedules or checklists — it’s arranging life so that each action moves naturally into the next, one after another, without friction or waste. It's challenging yourself to think strategically so that the future you may have a smoother experience.
At its core, Dandori is both a mindset and a method. It's taking the phrase "work smarter, not harder" and going a step further. When you practice Dandori, you’re not just managing time; you’re designing the path your time will take. The more you visualize the situations you are in, the more your Dandori skills will develop.
Here are some examples:
A chef who times his dishes so each is served equally fresh.
A traveler who plans a route to see as much as they can in the amount of time they have for their trip.
A mechanic who has a spot for every tool, nut, and bolt.
These three people exhibit the different Dandori for each of their unique situations, but with the same basic principles in mind — they think of what they need/want to do and proceed with the best way they could think of to go about it.
Overall, the end goal of Dandori is really to save time and energy, and it's up to us to decide how we would like to spend that extra time and energy. Get even more work done? Great! Kick back and relax? Also great! Good Dandori is not about staying busy, it is about making more room for what matters to us.
Principles of Dandori
Planning
Sometimes in order to save time, you must first spend it. Good Dandori is clearing your work area and preparing everything you’ll need ahead of time, setting your tools, having your instructions readily visible, etc.
"A master of Dandori is a master of time."
We demonstrate positive Dandori by creating a workflow that is continuous and avoiding being constantly interrupted with a search for the next piece required to proceed.
Adaptation
Life rarely wants to follow the plans we make, and dealing with life’s twists and turns is tough. To master Dandori is to be able to adapt to the chaos that life throws us and to flow with it, and like all forms of art, mastery is arduous.
"Steady progress is also good Dandori."
Use Dandori to stretch your planning muscles to be more flexible. Add margins of time to your tasks, know your task priority, have backup plans, plan out an order before deciding on times. There are plenty of ways to remain adaptable, but knowing which to use and when to use them will be the challenge.
Clarity
It is important to plan simple, visible, and clear tasks in order to keep the flow of our life uninterrupted and to allow us to adapt when the flow changes.
Sometimes the best Dandori is to take a moment to remind ourselves of our tasks from a surface level in order to best visualize the path forward.
"Dandori is knowing what can be combined—and what needs your full attention."
Reflection
All art requires critique, and Dandori is no exception. Knowing what to change and keep is key to maximizing your ability to be efficient. Just like any other skill, repetition leads to mastery, so look back on your plan and see what went smoothly and what could flow better next time.
"Repeat Dandori for good practice."
And when all is said and done, remember to be proud of your effort and progress, and appreciate the time you saved yourself through your Dandori expertise.
Plan your tasks,
Adapt to changes,
Keep your goals clear,
Learn from the results.
Practicing Dandori
- 1.
Define the goal.
What do I want? - 2.
Define the starting point.
Where am I right now and what do I have to work with? - 3.
Prepare the path forward.
What can I arrange now to prevent friction later? - 4.
Adapt to unavoidable obstacles.
What changed, and how can I go from here? - 5.
Reflect on your path.
What worked? What didn't work? What can I do better next time?
Useful References
Pikmin Series – What introduced me to the concept of Dandori. Pikmin 4 specifically explains and demonstrates the concept of Dandori through interactivity.
r/OrganizationPorn – A great resource for inspiration to organize your spaces to best maximize efficiency in your life.
Everyday Expressions
*Note: these quotes are satire.
"I'm feeling fine and Dandori."
"Everything is just hunky Dandori."
"Life and all its Dandori."
"Just another Dandori story."
"All for the glory of Dandori."
"That's a category 5 Dandori moment."
"Dandori issue."