5 career organization lessons from Marie Kondo

The best-selling author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” has forged a global brand out of simplicity and organizational discipline. Communicators might want to take notes.

Ragan Insider Premium Content
Ragan Insider Content

The beginning of any year is when many set new intentions—often to change old habits.

To capitalize on the annual zeitgeist, Netflix launched a show called “Tidying Up,” based on the KonMari method from best-selling author Marie Kondo. The show follows families as they reassess their possessions and relationships and work to declutter their lives.

It’s therapeutic watching someone ditch 20 years’ worth of stuff—and Kondo’s gentle guidance helps each person do what keeps most people from living a simpler life: Let go.

PR pros could benefit from this worldview.

The PR industry is harassed by deadlines, overworked by new technology and underappreciated by almost everyone. It can be hard to imagine what about your job “sparks joy.”

However, here are ways the KonMari method might energize your life by simplifying your work and focusing your efforts.

1. Get rid of words that don’t spark joy.

Wordsmiths take stock every year to delete words that no longer function as part of the lexicon. For business communicators and PR pros, that means culling words that have become overused and crossed over into the territory of jargon and dreck.

Dan Saltzstein of The New York Times shared words that should go away:

To read the full story, log in.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today

Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.