The Life-Changing Magic of Perspectives.
It goes without saying: we are a product of our environment. Someone who champions this idea and made a business empire out of it is Marie Kondo, the creator of the KonMari method that has taken the world by storm since her book, ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’ hit stores almost a decade ago. While her professional flex is being an organizing consultant, the value of her work actually lies in the power of shifting your perspective, which is why her clients never relapse back into messiness!
People cannot change their habits without first changing their way of thinking. But if you feel like you don’t have time to watch her new Netflix show or to crack open her book (both of which are worth checking out) to be converted, don’t worry. We’ve extrapolated several key takeaways to help you embrace KonMari in your life with this super quick read. This blog focuses on getting your productivity in check without the burnout after-effect, but it only scratches the surface of what Marie Kondo is all about!
The Basics
It’s important to understand what differentiates the KonMari method from all other methods. At the core of her teachings, Kondo consistently emphasizes that you should surround yourself with whatever sparks joy. However, if you’re not in love with your 9 to 5, this can sound ridiculously impossible, so we move on to the next best (and more practical) thing: focus on what you value. As a business owner, it could be the service you offer. In your private life, it could be your family or your hobbies. What are the fundamental obligations you have to your customers, team, and your own identity?
Next Steps
The moment you clarify your purpose, your task list is already decluttering itself from the low-importance, low-urgency tasks that might have been occupying more of your effort than they really deserve. From here, you can continue to get rid of tasks that aren’t essential to your job by focusing on the ones that are. It’s important to keep a positive mindset in this process and consider the amazing outcomes once you complete a task. Viewing your to-do list as something that you have to shed or demolish can turn it into a negative process, which is the opposite of what we want. The key is to promote the positive and work to manage the negatives so it doesn’t become your work culture norm.
Thank You, Next
From here, another key component of the KonMari Method is to practice gratuity to the things you don’t need anymore. Have a couple old reports that you don’t need anymore, or a some used-up notebooks that you’ll never touch anymore? When things have served their purpose, thank them for their service of adding value to your life and let it go. By thanking your items, it’s easier to give yourself closure and to put it in the past. If it sparks joy, however, then keep it by all means! For the things that you have to keep, including current documents, Kondo suggests keeping it within reach. If it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind, and clutter will make its way back into your life.
This is just the tip of the iceberg! There are also resources where you can learn to clear your own thought processes, identifying what’s truly precious in your life, and of course, enhancing your quality of life by decluttering your own home. She’s one of our favourite resources for a healthy dash of good vibes! If you want to learn more about her, we recommend checking out her website for samples of goodies here.
This month we launched two free resources available on our website, both resources will really help you implement more organization in your business and brand. Check them out by clicking here.
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