I Want To Start a Movement: We Can Get Through This Pandemic with ROUTINES

The pandemic has had many phases…the first was definitely shock. We could not have imagined how intense the situation could have become — almost overnight. Most of us watched the unfolding of the first few hundred cases, not mindfully aware of extent of the impact this would have on our lives; we survived that phase. Next, we had a bit of a lull with fewer cases, a lot of political rhetoric, and information from research and scientists stating that the pandemic would worsen in the fall/winter — a prediction that came to pass. Now we are in another phase of increased cases, lowered hospital capacity, and increased mortality rates. Many of us are thinking and hoping that the vaccine will help, but none of us know how soon. No matter how we all feel about the vaccine, we have one thing in common: we are tired of this pandemic!

About two years ago, I subscribed to something called “leadership nudges.” The creator, David Marquet, is a former nuclear submarine captain. You watch for a minute or two while he explains these big concepts in short periods of time. Recently, I caught up on some of them. He did a series on how to survive long periods of time submerged in a submarine. The longest he was underwater was 87 days, which seemed significant to me. From this experience, David developed six words beginning with the letter “R” that describe how they survived being cooped up in a small space, with no outdoor air and no contact with family. At times, my little corner in the basement feels submerged, and I think in our own way, we are all feeling restricted. So I am going to do this series based on his R’s. David has some very good advice that complements a lot of what KenCrest employee Christina Stiles has been sharing with us in her series, “Your Brain as a Car.”

Each week, I will be diving into one of the six words, the first of which is ROUTINE. David Marquet suggests that we all consider what habits we can maintain to help us create a sense of calm, control, and competence. He suggests that each of us find something that matters to us which, in fact, may not matter to someone else. For David, it is his wake up and night time routine. He does the same few things every morning before he does anything else, and winds down each day in another set of routines.

Routines create meaning while sending signals of calm, quiet, and confidence, which are great ways to start and end our days. I have a friend who takes a walk at the same time mid-morning. One co-worker told me that, during the pandemic, it was important for him to dress for work — especially to put on shoes — whether he was going to the office or not. The sense of calm that routines bring can be contagious to others around you. I agree that routines help you feel that, while other things may be hard to control, you are controlling what you can.

So your assignment is to take this anonymous survey.

The questions are:

1. Do you have a routine that helps you remain calm and feel in control?

a. If so, please share it.

b. If not, is this something you might want to consider?

2. Are there other ways that routines are helping you at work or at home?

a. Give an example.

Next week, I will share your ideas along with the next word: RITUAL.