Its amazing how the surname “Kondo” has become a verb in the 3 weeks since Marie Kondo’s show was released to Netflix. Charity shops all over the world are heaving with bags of donations as we all say “Thank you, Next” to half our wardrobes, and clear boxes are flying out the door of Mr. Price like nobody’s business.
The ‘Kondo’ phenomenon is not everyone’s cup of tea, but for many of us, whittling down our possessions to only those that “spark joy” has been life changing. Its not only because we can find what we need in our wardrobes, or because all of our kitchen appliances are beautifully arranged by size. Its because it has caused a mental shift in terms of our obsession with stuff and our need to have as much of it as possible.
Life just keeps getting faster, busier, and more complicated and we reckon that we’ve reached a tipping point based on the sheer exhaustion we feel from trying to keep up with it all. We’ve had it. Done.
We think that its time to apply the Kondo method to more than our wardrobes. We need to Kondo our entire lives, clear out all the aspects of it that don’t spark joy, and get right back to basics. Here’s how we aim to start.
Question your habits.
So much of what we do is done the way its always been done. Taking pictures of life experiences like music concerts and firework display and obsessing over getting the perfect shot rather than just enjoying the experience. Responding to emails and messages immediately, even if it means stopping an actual face to face conversation. Saying ‘yes’ every time a friend asks you for a favour, even it it means your own work or study will suffer.
How about, for the next few weeks, rather than operating on autopilot, you ask yourself; “why am I dong this, exactly?”
Declutter your friends list.
Sounds harsh, but you really only need 5 good friends, if even that. Trying to maintain relationships with 300 people is a massive and stressful commitment. Why not put extra effort into those who you know you can really lean on, and let the others become people you enjoy bumping into from time to time.
Stop Putting Off The Hard Stuff.
There’s an amazing book called “Eat That Frog” that says that the best way to get sh*t done is to do the hard stuff first. Having a task hanging over you that you really don’t want to do will result in you doing every other possible thing rather than that. It also fills you with anxiety because the longer you put it off the more guilty you feel.
Do the hard things first, so you can stop stressing. Have that awkward conversation, pay that bill, write that essay. Stop making excuses.
Unfollow/Unsubscribe.
How many times a day do you see an Instagram post and ask yourself “who even is this person and why do I follow them? They post group photos with people you don’t know 10 times a day and their stories have you tapping for so long you feel like you’re fluent in Morse Code.
Take 15 minutes now and go through your follows and try to cut it down by 25%. Its just extra noise for your brain to absorb when it could be looking at cute puppy posts.
Swap Your Expectations for Appreciation.
There’s a big difference between need and want.
Do you order a Pizza and then complain that you have to wait 14 minutes for it to arrive? Why not appreciate the fact that someone can actually bring your food of choice to your door so you can stay in your peejays all evening?
Do you complain that the WIFI in your hotel is patchy? Why not appreciate the fact that you get to travel the world with family and friends in the first place?
You have three needs; Nourishment, Love and Purpose. Everything else is just gravy.
