3 rituals that will make your day better

In the north of Portugal, on the last day in April, it’s traditional to hang gorse in the doors and windows of your house. It’s said to welcome spring and ward off evil spirits. 

Sophie (@FullyThoughtOut) can’t start her day until she’s walked the dog, had a shower, lit some incense and poured a coffee. Amina (@TheIlluminatedP) celebrates signing off client projects by reading a whole novel in one go. Bhavini (@B81Designs) will only start work with a good coffee in hand. 

Hell, even Rafael Nadal has a ritual. Before every serve, he completes this sequence: bum scratch, shoulder, shoulder, nose, ear, nose, ear, right hand in pocket.

From the weekly cocktail with your best friends, to the way you prepare for bed, these little habitual acts can have a big impact on our wellbeing.

Sometimes they’re practical. It makes sense to start your day with exercise and coffee. Sometimes, like Rafael, there doesn’t seem to be an outward logic to our rituals. Either way, the decision to do them and the feelings they evoke are what gives them significance and power over time.

Our rituals, meaningful habits and borderline superstitions are an instinctive way for us to anchor ourselves in the moment. They help us feel present. They bring our minds to a place of focus and calm. They help us feel safe, in control, capable.

And from the tiny daily rituals you might not even realise you have, to the big ones – Christmas, birthdays, weddings – they are all about celebrating or processing where you are right now and setting yourself up for what’s to come.

If you’re reading this thinking, “What? I don’t have any rituals”, you can still benefit. Studies show that even non-instinctive, made-up rituals are still effective. The secret is to do them consistently.

I’m not religious, but I inherited my mum’s ritual of lighting a candle for her mum whenever I visit a church on holiday. I consciously chose to adopt that ritual, but it still helps me find meaning and connection to my family wherever I am in the world.

So how can we use rituals in our working lives to process, focus and ground?

When you need to stop procrastinating and concentrate

Having a fixed routine for when you need to concentrate will, over time, help your brain get in the zone faster. Make it as sensory as possible: a drink, some incense, a certain seat, a specific pair of earrings or a piece of music. Over time, your brain will come to associate those things with concentration and you’ll be able to tap into The Zone more easily.

When you’ve finished a challenging project

Have a specific treat or reward you give yourself when you’ve reached a work milestone. It could be a coffee from your favourite little place or an afternoon in bed with Netflix. Taking that time for yourself will help you to be in the moment, focus on the positives and reward yourself for the good work you’ve done. You’ll look back on the experience as a success and feel motivated next time.

When you’re shaking off a bad work experience

We’ve all seen the movies where heartbroken teenagers burn letters and photos from a cheating ex. Perhaps you could do the same with that shitty client? I’m not suggesting you burn your MacBook. But could a ceremonial deleting of all the files and emails help clear the negative energy? Or could you write down what happened and how it made you feel before burning or ripping up that piece of paper?

Many rituals come from a time before we had science to explain what was going on. We hoped that by hanging flowers outside our doors or wearing our lucky shoes we could influence the world around us. But if we dismiss rituals because they lack scientifically proven external power, we may miss the enormous influence they can have on us internally, and what effect that change could have on the world around us.

I’d love to hear about your rituals, chat to me on LinkedIn or leave a comment below.