How long does it take to form a habit? With some of my kids, I swear it’s once is enough, if it’s a bad habit.
I’ve always heard two weeks. That’s how long I shot for on most of my New Year’s resolutions. When I started this blog, it’s how long it took before I started to feel like it might last.
But, the people who study such things say that it’s more like two months. Of course, there’s a standard deviation involved. According to a study done by University College London and published in the Eurpoean Journal of Social Psychology, it takes anywhere from 18 days to 254 days. But, on average it takes exactly 66 days.
Essentially that’s two months. I don’t know if the researchers in London were correct. But, we are half way to finding out. . .at least here in Utah.
It was exactly a month ago, March 27, 2020 that Utah’s Governor Herbert issued his Stay Home Stay Safe order. It shut down most businesses and encouraged us all to avoid non-essential travel.
Utah never issued a full lockdown order. We were one of the few states that didn’t. There are no laws forcing us to stay home. We don’t get pulled over for driving at the wrong times.
It’s strange. I’m an essential worker. Even though I can work from home, I could drive into the office if I chose to. And I even have a letter to show to any law enforcement officer or maybe my grandkids proving that I’m allowed free passage to travel to and fro.
It’s odd, having papers. Several years ago I ended up getting a letter, an offical letter from our recruiting office explaining that the offer for employement was being rescinded.
I got the letter the same day I met with my new manager. He found just as hilarious as I did. (Once I figured out it was in error.) I had signed up to get background checked and drug tested, even though I was already an employee. I didn’t get around to the drug test within the required 72 hours.
If you apply to my company and don’t get your drug test down within three days, we will withdraw the offer. It didn’t apply to me, but I kept the letter anyway.
I’ll probably keep the travel papers too. I may never see the like.
Anyway, today marks the one month mark for Utah. There is talk here, as there is most places of easing the restrictions. Of starting to open up the economy again. It’s unlikely that on May 27th we will be at the same place we are in on April 27th.
I hope not. I would hate for this to become a habit.
Stay safe.
Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren.
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