Commentary
In the midst of managing COVID-19’s impact, it is time to discuss the changes we’ve made in the context of what we wish to keep in a new normal.
It takes days 21 days to make or break a habit and 90 days for it to become permanent”
During a recent Zoom meet-up, I was taken by comments shared about positive experiences in the last weeks. The context was as if society is running in place waiting for the normal race to start. I doubt normal will ever look the same and a new normal could even look better.
I made notes to review Maxwell Maltz’s 21-day habit formation which I remember as the 21/90 rule. The first COVID-19 case was announced March 5th. Today is 42 days since or almost halfway to 90 days.
Sources:
- How the 21/90 rule helps you build good habits and a better life, Cape Space. Link.
If you can keep up something for three weeks and then ninety days, then it should become a permanent lifestyle change
- Habit formation: Is 21 days all it takes? FreeLetics. Link.
- 3 ways the coronavirus pandemic is changing who we are, The Conversation, March 20, 2020. Link.
The pandemic affects our psyches three ways: It influences how we think, how we relate to others and what we value.
INSIGHTS: Take 15 minutes to write down what has changed and highlight changes you want to be in place on September 15, 2020. If you work as a team, consider sharing the work items with your group manager and ask others to do the same. Urge the team leader to set a time to discuss the combined lists in the next seven days and repeat the exercise every two or three weeks. Let’s make lemonade out of COVID-19 lemons.