Peak Productivity: This Japanese Cafe Won’t Let You Go Until Your Work Is Done

The Manuscript Writing Cafe in Tokyo is the perfect solution for procrastination!

Manuscript Writing Cafe, Tokyo, Japan.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

Who hasn't struggled with procrastination? While we all might try to come up with different ways to keep ourselves focused, we do stray from time to time. The Manuscript Writing Cafe in Tokyo, Japan, has identified this problem and offered a unique solution to its patrons.

People can come in the cafe, write down their goals, and the staff there will ensure that you don't leave the place before you finish your work. Equipped with high-speed WiFi and self-serving tea and coffee stations, the eatery is frequented by writers, artists, and editors who have found the cafe's recourse helpful.

The cafe is the brainchild of Takuya Kawai, 52, who is a writer himself. He hopes that his cafe helps others like him focus and do their work better.

Patrons can choose different levels of supervision, where a "mild" level indicates check-ins from time to time, "normal" being a check-in every hour, and "hard" meaning someone standing behind you most of the time and ensuring you don't get distracted.

“But actually instead of monitoring, I’m here to support them … As a result what they thought would take a day actually was completed in three hours, or tasks that usually take three hours were done in one," said an employee from the cafe.

Manuscript Writing Cafe had first opened as a livestreaming eatery, but was affected during COVID-19-related lockdowns. Since then, the owners have decided to switch the eatery's purpose and make it more about encouraging productivity.