Having habits and rituals in place can help improve your productivity at work, which in turn can increase your job satisfaction and overall well-being. When we lean on habits and rituals in our daily routine, they can reduce our cognitive load and decision-making, helping to provide a sense of direction and purpose in our day. In today’s blog, we look at a few tips to think about when incorporating habits into your routine.
Make them Distinct
Creating habits and rituals that are distinct and unique can be used as a positive trigger to enact change. In an article on Forbes, they write, “A great example of this is how some people who are new to remote work can struggle with productivity initially, especially if they don’t have a dedicated workspace. The transition between home and work can become blurred, and if the rituals preceding a task are too similar to others then it’s harder for your brain to predict and prepare for what’s happening next. Are you sitting on the couch and opening up your laptop to work? Or are you sitting on the couch and opening your laptop to watch Netflix? Making your rituals as distinct as possible not only applies to crafting new rituals but can also help you improve existing ones. If you’re someone who works from home, for example, adding a few steps to your pre-work routine—like lighting a dedicated “work” candle, listening to a specific playlist, or spending five minutes journaling—could help make transitioning into work easier and faster.”
Experiment and Find What Works for You
Everyone is different, with varying habits and interests, so experimenting and finding what works best for you is key. Some people may find they work better when they exercise early in the morning before work, whereas others need to catch up on sleep. Make small changes periodically and see which ones result in a more productive workday. If you need ideas on where to start, this article on Habits for Productivity may be a useful post.
Start Small
If you’re intimidated by the idea of starting a new habit, it’s likely because you want to make too big of a change. The key to implementing and sticking with new habits and rituals is to start small and build them into your routine. Think about the number of habits you already have in your day-to-day life – brushing your teeth, walking the dog, making your bed in the morning, etc. You likely have way more habits in place than you realize. In his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear writes, “Success is the product of daily habits — not once-in-a-lifetime transformations. If you want to predict where you’ll end up in life, all you have to do is follow the curve of tiny gains or tiny losses, and see how your daily choices will compound 10 or 20 years down the line.”