Plan To Fail

So we’ve all made it through the first quarter of 2021 and can see the sunrise of a new world balance, emerging between homelife and worklife. In that regard, we have to start planning new routines as the old ones fall away….

For some, lockdown was a significant challenge and for others it was a blessing. However, as there are glimmers in the distance of the office-cogs starting to rotate, how do we maintain some of the great work that you have put in and avoid falling back into old habits?

Previously, we discussed that habits were formed by 3 R’s - Reminder, Routine and Reward.  This habit formation principle is at the foundation of every established willpower challenge in your life.  Each is likely to have a reminder for you to do something (or not do something) and once accomplished some type of reward. 

So for those of you who are concerned with a new working routine and considering the possibility of hybrid working (half at home and half in the office), it is likely that some of those reminders are not going to work anymore and you may have to alter your routine too.  So what should you do moving forward?  

Plan to fail - what?, I hear you say.  Shouldn’t I be eternally optimistic about my abilities?

No - Plan to fail!

In the military when carrying out a mission there is a primary objective, a backup plan,  an alternative escape route and the option of a full abort.   Everyone is fully briefed and knows all the aspects of a mission before the mission is given the green light.  

In willpower missions we can apply the same principles.  If you spend an hour planning all the reasons why you are likely to not do the thing that you want to do, it will enable you to create the backup plans and escape routes to get around the obstacles.  For example if you decide that you want to eat healthier and recall that on your way home from work you go past a bakery that you find difficult to resist, could you plan a different route home?  If you struggle to find time to exercise on the days you get home late from the office could you make sure you walk at lunch time or consider an abridged workout routine that isn’t quite as long.  

Obviously, if you come to realise that this willpower challenge is not working for you at all, then you always have the option of aborting the mission, but before you make that call, spend some time planning to fail first.  

 Author: Dr. Adam Greenfield, Co-founder of WorkLifeWell | Doctor of Chiropractic | Wellness Specialist

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