Rituals and our Environment

I'm in the process of fine tuning my daily rituals.  The book Managing Your Day to Day by Jocelyn Glei, made me think about the power and consequences of daily rituals.  This book is comprised of a wonderful collection of essays by successful entrepreneurs on how to reduce distractions and become more focused.

My favorite tip in the book is to have a specific place or ritual for different activities.  They suggest having a specific room for studying and another for relaxing.  By doing so, different environments can become associated with various activities and trigger specific behaviors.  It reminded me of Robert Zajonc's theory that thoughts and feelings are automatic companions to visual sensations and thereby influence our behavior.  We don't just see a house, we see a "pretty" house or a "big" house.  Whenever I see Tiffany, I think about the good times we've had, I feel happy, and smile. Athletic fields manifest feelings of excitement within me, leading me to want to workout.  I've heard of other people craving coffee when they first wake up. Others are triggered to smoke when they drink alcohol. When I see cake, it triggers thoughts of happiness and celebration. Cultivating these environments/rituals can drastically effect how we: work, eat, relax and sleep.

Some rituals may be helpful whereas others have negative consequences.  Currently I am working on minimizing distractions and staying focused as I study for my licensure exam.  I often find myself checking email, Facebook, ESPN, or working on small projects around the house instead of studying.  After reading Managing Your Day to Day, I've decided to study in a specific room and set aside specific times each day for work and pleasure.  When I enter a room, I'm telling my brain it's time to work or relax.

So far it's been a work in progress.  I started out too aggressive with my time blocks and without much flexibility.  Now I have a block of time dedicated for work/study with options for more before and after that block.  I've also set a firm cut off at night for unwinding without work or email.  Having specific rooms for various activities has work well and kept me focused.

Managing one's environment has been used with nutrition as well.  Eating in front of the TV leads to overeating.  In contrast, individuals who ate at a table consumed 30% less food.  The TV distracts people from recognizing when they are full.  Whereas eating at a table, while keeping pots and serving dishes in the kitchen, also leads to less consumption.  It follows the Out of Sight Out of Mind theory.  A year ago, I asked Tiffany to keep her "treats" in the pantry and it has helped with my cravings for sugar.

Using smaller plates can also change our visual perceptions and dining environment, helping people eat less food.  When individuals were given larger plates they ate more and drastically underestimated their total consumption.  Researchers found that people typically fill their plate 3/4 full regardless of the plate size.  I used to do the same thing.  If the plate wasn't full, I didn't think it would satisfy me.  All too often I would end up feeling stuffed after eating so much.

Sleep is another area that experts suggest a designated room.   If you have trouble sleeping, like I do, limit the activities you do in the bedroom to sex and sleep.  Doing so will trigger your body to start unwinding when you enter the bedroom.  I recently stopped reading stimulating books while in bed.  The books would generate ideas and I wouldn't be able to sleep.  Now I typically fall asleep within 5 minutes.

If a room in your house doesn't help with triggering a desired affect, try going to a specific park, trail, library, coffee shop, etc.  Joel Oascoigne describes walking on a local trail every day to relax and reflect.  He has come to know the trail so well, that he can simply let go and reflect.

Developing creative rituals has made it easier for me to work, eat, relax, sleep, and accomplish my goals.  Enjoy