Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organization, has taken the world by storm. Then, her Netflix show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, introduce the benefits of decluttering to even more people, creating a surge of donations at thrift stores across the country.

While Marie Kondo’s process, dubbed the KonMari method, is mainly focused on how you can tidy up your home, many of the principles can also apply to your career. Finding work that “sparks joy” is an excellent goal, increasing the odds that you will be satisfied with your professional choices.

If you want your career to spark joy, here are some tips to get you headed in the right direction.

It is easy to mix up your priorities with the expectations of others. For example, you may think you need to work in a specific field or advance at a particular rate not because it is important to you, but because someone else has influenced how you view your career.

Being able to separate what you want and need from the opinions of others is a critical step. When Marie Kondo asks the people she helps to decide what sparks joy for them, she does not pass judgment regarding their choices. She understands it is personal and gives them the space to do what they feel is right.

Embrace that mindset when you explore your priorities. Set aside what others may want or expect of you. Instead, allow what is important to you to be the basis for your career decisions. That way, you can steer your career in a direction that aligns with your goals and preferences.

When Marie Kondo has people determine which items spark joy, she has them hold each one and make an intentional decision. The process is only partially intellectual. Instead, much of it is instinctual.

As you evaluate career options, it is wise to examine opportunities with a logical mind. However, do not ignore how you feel about a position or company. Even if a job looks great on paper, comes with a better salary, or the role is a promotion, do not ignore other aspects like company culture or the organization’s values and mission and how they align (or don’t) with yours.

Ideally, your job should spark more joy than it doesn’t. While there may always be aspects of a position that aren’t your favorite, selecting a role that makes you happy overall with improve your career satisfaction.

By using some of Marie Kondo’s principles to evaluate your career, you can find opportunities that genuinely spark joy. Ultimately, this will lead you down a path that is more likely to give you a sense of career satisfaction, ensuring you are happy with your choices today, tomorrow, and into the future.

If you would like to learn more about career planning, the team at TempStaff can help. Contact us to speak with a member of our knowledgeable staff today and see how our career management expertise can benefit you. Or click this link to browse our open Mississippi jobs on your own.