People are creatures of habit.
Everyone has habits, for better or for worse. It’s a natural process our brain follows to make our life easier and free up mental energy to focus on other, larger problems. These kinds of habits can be anything like brushing teeth, doing meditation before bed, or going to get a morning coffee before work.
And the habits we aren’t aware of, our unconscious habits, can be extremely powerful in our everyday lives.
For example, my dad last spring could not find his rake. He searched high and low, but it was nowhere to be found. Frustrated, he went down to the hardware store and bought a red rake with a wooden handle.
After bringing it home, he decided he would place his new rake in a special spot so he would know exactly where he could find it next spring. When he went to go put his new rake in its special spot, he found his old missing rake already there.
Not only was it in the exact spot he planned to put his new rake, but his old rake was also red with a wooden handle.
As a department chair, the habits that you have can help you in your position, or they can hinder you. Whether it’s something as simple as putting the same rake in the same spot twice or working with faculty to develop effective curriculum for students, setting effective habits is essential.
What are the habits you want to set up as a department chair? If you’re not sure, here are 7 great habits you can begin developing today!
7 Habits of A Successful Department Chair infographic was based on the information found here.
