You may feel like you don’t have time to rethink your habits, to do something new with your body no matter how much it may impact your brain. You may be tempted to punt on new habits, to just make it through this day.
“I don’t have time!” we exclaim to ourselves.
I get it. I’m amazed at how stretched I feel even though I’m traveling and commuting less than ever.
But we need to be honest with ourselves. The thought that we don’t have time is a lie. Nothing has changed about how much time we have. We had 24 hours each day before this crisis. We have 24 hours each day now. We’ll have 24 hours each day once this crisis has passed.
What’s changed is that our patterns have been upended. Our assumptions have been challenged. Features of our lives that seemed stable and predictable a month ago now seem uncertain and wobbly.
This instability actually makes this the perfect time to rethink our habits. Habits are like water. At one temperature, it is fluid. At another, it can solidify into rock solid ice.
This crisis has melted most of our habits. The resulting fluidity is temporary. Now is the time to rethink those habits before they freeze again.
Why not take a moment and do an inventory of your daily patterns? I’m guessing some of them are either totally melted or a least a bit slushy. Here are some habits I’ve heard people say are in flux right now:
- The daily commute has changed or gone away entirely.
- Time spent dressing up, even to business casual levels, has dropped significantly. I know because I see us on our video calls. Let’s just say there’s a whole new level of casual going on.
- Ritual stops at coffee shops or your favorite lunch place or even the gym are temporarily on hold.
Yes, these are losses. But they’re also opportunities because they create an openness for new habits. Something will fill in those gaps. This is your chance to make it something useful.
Next time you resist trying new habits during this crisis, gently tell yourself the truth. You have enough time. This may be the best time in your lifetime to rethink your habits. Your brain is begging you to get your body in on the act of preventing the brain hijack.
