Routines Help Manage the Unknowns
I’ve noticed myself getting anxious about returning to the challenge of balancing as playing my role as a parent while maintaining a full workload during the pandemic. I’ve started to notice this show up with others as well. We’re collectively becoming more and more anxious about health risks, the impact of the economy on our organizations, kids going back to school, and all of this is on top of what is sure to be a stressful election for many.
The summer served as a good respite for me and I’m sure many working parents. Perhaps the best part is that it’s afforded me the opportunity to reflect on how I might make this fall better than last spring. Even if it’s just a little better. The lessons I took from this reflection will help you whether or not you’ve got a 4th and 1st grader. The lesson I want to share will serve us in many areas of our businesses and lives.
What did the uncertainty of the spring look like in my house?
I am sure we can all remember when everything seemed to change so suddenly this spring. When school suddenly closed due to COVID, my wife and I quickly jumped in to help our kids with the switch to virtual schooling. With the best of intentions, we swarmed the problem with pure energy and hustle. There was no shortage of attempts to try new tools and approaches, juggle priorities, and jump in whenever and however we could.
Our intentions were noble.
Our execution was less than stellar.
Redundancy of effort. Confusion about which methods were best. Disagreements about priorities. We struggled to clearly communicate about who’s doing what, who was helping which kid. Some form of this conversation seemed to happen daily:
"Did you review K’s assignments?"
"I thought you did."
"No, I thought you did."
"Ugh, look at this, I just noticed she missed Gym the past 3 weeks because it was in a different part of the app."
I’m sure I’m not alone in this. Missed deadlines. Oversights. Frustration with technology. Enormous duplication of efforts.
Good intentions. Clumsy execution.
One breakthrough came when my wife and I clearly established routines. We defined we’d each be responsible for one kid and manage one kid's schedule. The result of simple clarity of responsibility and the establishment of a routine changed everything for the better. I find that for leaders, clarity and routines help them lead their organizations as well.
Importance of Routines Right Now
Establishing helpful routines will help us overcome excessive worry about the future.
Routines will help propel you as a leader. They empower you to focus on what you can control. They give more predictability in this unpredictable time. Routines can also help manage anxiety about the unknown.
Additional benefits to having routines include: “lowering stress levels, forming good daily habits, taking better care of your health, helping you feel more productive, and helping you feel more focused”. I think we all want those things.
If we know nothing else, we know that the routine will happen. There is comfort in that stability.
How to Create a Simple Routine:
Make it as easy as possible on yourself to create a new routine. I don’t like to say this, but when establishing a new routine it is important to start by lowering your expectations.
Discover the easiest way to do the routine.
Find the simplest form.
Fit it in.
BJ Fogg, the creator of the Tiny Habits method, wrote, “Simplicity changes behavior.” When a behavior is really easy and simple, it can become automatic. It becomes a part of your day.
The first part of the recipe for creating a new habit is to keep it really small and simple to start.
For example, if I want to start a new workout routine, the routine I might establish is to put on my workout clothes and walk out the door. If I don’t want to work out, then I’ll go back inside. More likely than not, because I am ready to go, I will exercise. Small and simple to start.
What routines helped me last spring? I blocked time for my daughter and me to spend together getting organized. We set specific morning routines and checkpoints. One simple morning routine after breakfast stands out. My daughter and I spent 5 minutes printing out and reviewing her to-do list for the day. That 5 minutes made a big difference to her productivity for the rest of the day.
Examples of Simple Routines:
Create morning and evening routines to help set up or close out your day
Plan out your next day the night before
Practice gratitude, such as expressing gratitude at the end of each team meeting for your team members and their contributions, or opening it up to team members to share express gratitude
Find opportunities to celebrate personally and professionally, including celebrating milestones big and small, having an end of week celebration, finding simple ways where your team can all celebrate “together” either virtually or socially-distant
Form simple daily or weekly routines to do with your teams, such as 15-minute virtual open team check-ins or virtual coffee
Ensure you have regular 1:1 meetings to review work, provide coaching & feedback, manage team member workload, talk about career aspirations, etc.
What do you want to start doing?
What is one routine you need to establish as a leader?
How can you make it as simple as possible?
What can you do in the next 5 minutes to get started?