When I was growing up, my mother could not go to bed at night unless she had put everything away, wiped down the sink and kitchen benches and laid out the breakfast items for the next day. As a kid, I never understood why it mattered. We could do it tomorrow, I reasoned. But she wanted to wake up to a fresh start with no remnants of yesterday’s mess lingering into the new day. She was priming the environment.
In Atomic Habits, James Clear suggests there are many ways to prime your environment so it’s ready for immediate use. He illustrates the point with the example of Oswald Nuckols, an IT developer who does what he refers to as ‘resetting the room.’ For instance, when he finishes watching television, he places the remote back on the TV stand, arranges the pillows on the couch, and folds the blanket. When he leaves his car, he throws any trash away. James Clear suggests the purpose of resetting each room is not simply to clean up after the last action, but to prepare for the next action.
Priming the environment is also a valuable metaphor for leaders. You want to be ready to start the day, week, or year without unresolved issues or lingering conflicts. It will help you make a fresh start if you clean up the mess before it piles up and clutters your mental space. Leaders who focus on reducing clutter—whether operational, mental, or team-related—create environments that allow for better focus and overall productivity.
That’s why leaders need to have practices in place to prime the environment to make sure nothing is lingering that could affect the next action. It could mean having that difficult conversation, reviewing the lessons the team learned from a mistake, or acknowledging some small wins they have made. In much the same way my mum did, they are priming the environment.
James Clear suggests, ‘Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior. We tend to believe our habits are a product of our motivation, talent, and effort. Certainly, these qualities matter. But the surprising thing is, especially over a long time period, your personal characteristics tend to get overpowered by your environment.’
🙋♀️ What practices do you employ to prime your environment? 🙋
🎯 If you are interested in stepping up your leadership, then get in touch to book a free discovery call to see how I could help you 🎯
Best regards, Brian