How to Ease Through Transitions with Rituals

Hi there,

Here again, are we??

Yep, it's post-summer transition time. The return of The Routine giving delight and dread in equal measure.

Transitions are hard. Even when we know they are good. Definitely when we suspect they are bad. And especially when we don't quite know how to feel about them.

So, how do we tackle them?

?? Build good habits into the new routine? Well, yes.

But what did I just say? This stuff is HARD. So, let's not forget to leave a bit of human-being-shaped leeway in there.

And that's where rituals come in. Reassuring markers of time that can range from a moment of fun to a moment of meaning (...and often a moment of weird if we're all totally honest with ourselves).

How can rituals help me through transition?

Michael Norton , Professor at Harvard Business School and author of The Ritual Effect*, defines rituals as:

structured and repeated actions imbued with meaning.

It's the combination of repetition along with a sense of meaning that gives us exactly what we need during change: soothing our drive for predictability?and reminding us of what's important (even just for a fleeting moment on that treadmill of transition).

You probably already have hundreds of rituals in your life. Coffee? Daily stroll? Don your lucky socks on the day of a big presentation?

And if you'd like to crank it up to ease you through these weeks, here are a few things to consider:

1) Create a new ritual for this phase

When facing transitions (like returning to work after a break or settling kids back into a new school year) creating a brand new ritual can help by adding a fresh sense of grounding or a glimmer of joy to our day; all of this serving to reduce anxiety and boost performance.

?? Pro-tip: Keep it simple. Like taking 5 deep breaths as soon as you wake up. Or listening to your song of the summer as you tidy up after breakfast.

2) Use Rituals to Ease Transitions within Transitions

Sometimes the hardest transitions are the ones that happen in the split seconds of every day. Meeting to Meeting. Work Mode to Home Mode.

Taking a moment's pause to mark these transitions?can help to reset focus and calm the nervous system.

?? Pro-tip: Even if you're back-to-back in meetings, see if you can step away from your laptop for just a few seconds between each one to take a deep breath, clear your workspace or make a cup of tea.

3) Create Unique Rituals to Regulate Emotions

Rituals have the power to regulate emotions by providing a structured outlet for (otherwise messy) feelings. We know the usual suspects, like journaling or meditation, can help us process emotions — and are especially important when going through transition. But rituals are unique to every one of us. There are no rules. So find the little action that works for you.

?? Pro-tip: Take 2 minutes at intervals during the day to tune into what's going on for you at that moment. Then, notice any action that relieves tension and resets unhelpful rumination. And that's it. Your very own unique emotional regulator.

Just one more thing...

You don't have to go it alone. Team rituals can help us ease through transition too; adding a bit of collective fun or meaning to our day-to-day.

Team rituals can take any shape — from morning stand-ups to virtual coffees to team bake-offs.

When I study group cultures, rituals are one of the first things I look for. These markers of a healthy group dynamic have the power to anchor its members with a sense of belonging (as long as everyone is involved in creating them and making sure they happen).

And it's no surprise that being part of a healthy team culture can buffer the negative impact of uncertainty and change. So, maybe now is also a good time to start a new ritual with your team too?

I'd love to hear about the rituals you've built with colleagues over the years. Let me know in the comments below ??.

Bye for now,

Erin

* Norton's book The Ritual Effect (2024) is a brilliant read. And a much-needed antidote to the overwhelming productivity messaging we are bombarded with these days. An important reminder that sometimes it's OK to replace doing and achieving with being and enjoying...

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