The best quotes by the author we have brought to you
“A major difference between a home and a workspace is that at work, people can see us. At home, almost no one sees our clothes or books, even if they are strewn all over the floor. But an office is a shared space, which makes the difference between a tidy desk and a messy one obvious to all.” (Joy at Work Quotes)
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“A messy environment taxes the brain. When surrounded by clutter, our brains are so busy registering all the things around us that we can’t focus on what we should be doing in the moment, such as tackling the work on our desk or communicating with others. We feel distracted, stressed, and anxious, and our decision-making ability is impaired.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Another way of building trust is to authentically delegate. Don’t assign someone work and then constantly monitor their progress and ignore their ideas.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“As much as meetings let us down, we need them. They’re where we come up with new ideas, make significant decisions, learn from others, and work together. When we lead and participate in well-run meetings, it’s much easier to experience joy at work. Yet there’s no doubt that when led poorly, meetings become a major pain point and one of the greatest obstacles to our productivity. They decrease our engagement, emotionally exhaust us, and sap the joy from work.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“By organizing your work, you’ve given yourself a gift that goes far beyond a tidy desk, orderly calendar, or clean inbox. You’ve taken back some control of your work life.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“If something you’re engaged in doesn’t bring you joy, remember that where you are now is the path that you chose in the past. Based on that understanding, ask yourself what you want to do next. If you choose to let something go, do it with gratitude. If you choose to continue, do it with conviction. Whatever your decision, if it is made deliberately and with confidence, it will surely contribute to a joyful life.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Important tasks are different. There are big positive outcomes for performing them or big negative consequences for not performing them. Examples include personal development, for instance, through reading and education; updating a product; and developing a good relationship with colleagues.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“It’s important not to scatter storage for things in the same category. Storing everything in the same category in the same place lets you see at a glance how much you have. This has added benefits. Once you know what you have, you no longer accumulate excess or buy unnecessary items.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“It’s relaxing to be in a room with a bunch of people who agree with you. The problem: If they don’t disagree, they’re likely not fully analyzing a decision or generating a rich discussion. What won’t be relaxing is when the team underdelivers because people were afraid to raise an opposing viewpoint.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Just like us, books have a peak period in their lives. That’s when they should be read, but it’s quite common for people to miss that timing.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Make your network a source of joy. Build one full of people whom you enjoy spending time with and helping, who care about your development and success, and with whom you’re comfortable revealing your setbacks and seeking their counsel.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Most people I know who have succeeded in tidying up once and for all have done so on their own initiative. They also start off with a clear idea of who they want to be and what kind of lifestyle they want. By contrast, people who launch into tidying without a clear idea of why they are doing it or, worse, with the hope that they can get someone else to do it for them often revert to clutter even if they succeed in tidying up the first time.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“No matter what your ideal work life is, the final goal is the same: to be able to work with joy. So when tidying up, what matters most is to choose things that contribute to your happiness and appreciate what you keep.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“No matter your email approach, we can all agree that getting fewer emails is a good thing. Don’t confuse your email with your work. Email is one of many tools to get your job done, but it is not the work itself.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Not being sick isn’t the same as being healthy, not being poor isn’t the same as being rich, and not being sad isn’t the same as being happy. Likewise, getting rid of things we don’t like isn’t the same as choosing things that spark joy. So when tidying, focus on the positive – on the things you love. If you do, you’ll likely find that you actually enjoy tidying.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Papers can be broadly divided into three categories: pending, save because you have to, and save because you want to.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Remember, you’re the boss of your technology. Let technology advance your work life and help you see more clearly how your work can be a source of joy. When you tidy your digital documents, emails, and smartphone apps, you’ll start to realize that these are just tools to help you work, not a storage depot that archives your entire professional life!”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Small actions can bring surprisingly big changes to an organization. Never think that you’re not important enough or senior enough to make a difference. You are! Just be realistic. Company cultures don’t change overnight. Instead, spread the joy that comes from tidying, one step at a time.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Stop comparing yourself with someone’s persona on social media and instead ask what progress you’re making toward your ideal work life. That’s the only comparison that matters.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“The findings of these studies can be summarized in three simple points. A tidy desk results in a higher evaluation of our character and capacity. This raises our self-esteem and increases our motivation. As a result, we work harder and our performance improves.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“The information we work with is frequently updated as we receive new materials and as the content of various projects evolves. Documents and papers quickly pile up. Even if we tidy our desk once, to keep it that way we need to stay on top of it, and that requires a mindset that keeps us motivated, an understanding of why we want to tidy up.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“There’s a reason why we usually prioritize urgent tasks over important ones. Important tasks tend to be more difficult to complete than urgent ones, making us more reluctant to start them. Urgent tasks have a more immediate payoff, making them more enticing to start and pleasing to finish. If you’re trying to feel good – at least in the short term – checking off an urgent task makes sense. In the long term, however, you’re not doing the type of work that really matters to your career and company.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Those who multitask often do so not because they’re particularly good at it but because they struggle to block out distractions and focus on a single task. So they compensate by trying to do several things at once. Don’t falsely believe that multitaskers are more productive workers and that everyone should aspire to emulate them. Nonsense.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Tidying books is a powerful means of self-discovery. The ones you choose to keep because they spark joy reveal your personal values.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Tidying up allows you to rediscover your own self. When you face each item you possess, one by one, and ask yourself if it sparks joy or if it will contribute to a joyful future, you begin to see quite clearly what you really want and what makes you happy.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Tidying up can help you get a clear picture of the path that sparks joy for you. You come to see what’s close to your heart, what you’ve always wanted to do, and what challenges you want to take on.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“To discard a negative thought, write it down on a piece of paper. Honor its message by thinking about it. Take a key lesson from it. Ask how it can contribute to your growth by being a learning opportunity. Then dispose of the paper (shred it, burn it, bury it), and the thought will disappear along with it. You’ve learned from the bad thought – keep the lesson but discard the self-criticism.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“When choosing what to keep and what to let go, refer to the criteria introduced here: things that directly spark joy, those that provide functional joy, and those that lead to future joy.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“When deciding how to spend your time, remember: Don’t trade an activity you’d love to pursue for a reward you don’t value. Being mindful and aware of what we truly want and who we truly are can protect us from falling into this trap of chasing the wrong goals that we’ll later regret.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“When you decide not to keep something, focus on the good it brought you and let it go with gratitude for the connection you had with it. The positive energy you direct at that item will attract new and joyful encounters.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“When you step into a meeting, you’re entering a shared space for collaboration, decision-making, and exchanging ideas. Treasure this space, and it will turn into a source of joy.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“Yes, smartphones can aid productivity, but when we’re too attached to them, they interfere with our work. Silence all but the most essential notifications, and keep your phone out of sight when it’s not needed.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
“You’ll need to be more precise and identify in clear, concrete terms your ideal approach to work and the effects you hope tidying will have on your life. So before you start, visualize your ideal work life.”
Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Joy at Work
