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How contagious are you?
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In mid-August, New Zealand plunged back into a strict Level 4 lockdown, due to a single case of Covid-19 being found in the community. The single case quickly expanded into the hundreds - a real-life object lesson in mathematics and epidemiology.
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By early September, most of the country was starting to move through the lockdown levels, while Auckland, where I'm based, will be continuing under Level 4 for at least another week, because the city is still seeing cases popping up.
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And this community outbreak got me thinking - microbes aren't the only things that are contagious amongst humans. So are ideas, attitudes, values, behaviours, and beliefs.
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Did you know that if you have a friend who becomes obese, you have a 57% chance of also gaining weight? This research ran the numbers on a decades-long study involving over 12,000 people. And they found that the effect stretches beyond your immediate contacts - there is an influence for up to three links in a chain. So your friend's friend's friend has an effect on you, even if you've never met them!
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Another piece of research, using a sample of almost 4,800 people from the same study as above, found that if you have a friend living within 1 mile (1.6km) of your home and they become happier, the probability of you being happy increases by 25%. A similar effect occurs with spouses, siblings, and next-door neighbours, to varying degrees of strength. This one also upholds the multi-link effect.
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This is sometimes known as 'social contagion' or 'the ripple effect', and as you can see, it can have a positive or a negative influence. And once we know about social contagion and ripples, we can put the principles to work in our lives - not only by thinking carefully about who and what we surround ourselves with, but also by thinking about how we can act and speak in ways that positively "infect" others and send out positive ripples.
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So, what can you do today to spread some contagious positivity? Do something that brings you joy and share a pic on social media. Call up a friend whose mere existence makes you smile. Read or watch something that makes you laugh, and share the link with someone else. Wave to your neighbours. You're limited only by your imagination (and local physical distancing restrictions, of course!)
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Lockdown life: buried in books
I don't know about you, but lockdowns always send me headfirst into the bookshelf. I read physical books (not as easy when the library is closed!), Kindle books (that 1-click purchase button was a genius invention for making it ever-so-easy to buy on the spur of the moment), and I listen to audiobooks (Auckland Libraries has a fantastic range).
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Here are a few of the books that have caught my attention recently:
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- 'Deep Work' by Cal Newport - this book builds the case for developing your ability to go focus without distraction and do high-quality and meaningful work. In the face of the distractedness and surface busy-ness that characterises modern life, this is a pretty radical notion!
Key takeaway: building a schedule that prioritises deep work is vital - it won't happen by accident. It might take some negotiation with your loved ones and/or boss, but it will be worth it.
- 'The Fifth Discipline' by Peter Senge - a deep and insightful read about systems thinking and the learning organisation. This book is a classic business text, and for very good reason - it gives us a whole new way to see, and act on, the world around us.
Key takeaway: we are part of every system, so when we say we want the system to change, that means we need to change too.
- 'Upstream' by Dan Heath - a great introduction to systems thinking (although I found it strange that the author doesn't reference The Fifth Discipline!). Lots of practical examples of where 'upstream thinking' can solve tricky problems, and practical tips for implementation.
Key takeaway: prevention is the best cure, but it isn't always easy to convince others of the value, so run measurable, practical experiments to win support.
- 'Smarter, Faster, Better' by Charles Duhigg - a great read, covering productivity, motivation, and how to avoid common mistakes when we're trying to perform. One of my favourite anecdotes was about an organisation that believed that their staff would be more productive if they used SMART goals. They gave each staff member a target number of "SMART" goals to complete each year. An office worker set a SMART goal for a business-as-usual stationery order, just so they could make up their numbers!
Key takeaway: merely setting a target doesn't drive value-adding behaviour - we need to ensure that the target is meaningful, and the behaviours it will drive align with our desired outcomes.
- 'Braiding Sweetgrass' by Robin Wall Kimmerer - a fascinating and poetic piece of writing about science, indigenous wisdom, and what plants can teach us about the world and the way we live in it. I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by the author, and I highly recommend this way of experiencing it!
Key takeaway: when we focus too heavily on "scientific" ways of knowing, we tend to miss the complex interconnectedness of the natural world. Nature is a series of interrelated balancing systems, and when we mess with one system, we should be prepared for other systems to react in unexpected ways (also known as 'the law of unintended consequences').
Bonus takeaway: I noticed a link between the above takeaway and one of the principles from The Fifth Discipline: "cause and effect are not closely related in time and space". That is, the effects of our actions don't always show up close in time and space to where we took action, so we need to cast a wide net when assessing the impact of our actions (or inaction).
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Note: all links are non-affiliate
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I'd love to hear what you're reading. What have you loved? What have you hated? What's something that you can read over and over again, without getting tired of it (mine's 'The Alchemist', by Paulo Coelho)
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Reply to this email, or connect with me on social media to start a conversation. You can find me on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
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reader, let's have a virtual coffee ☕
I enjoy getting to know people and learning about their life, work, and thoughts about the world. And I'd love to do that with you - so let's meet for a virtual coffee!
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It's easy to set up a time with me - just click the button below, find a time that suits, and my booking system will lock it into our diaries.
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I look forward to talking to you soon!
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Quote:
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I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the Earth gives me daily and I must return the gift
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Robin Wall Kimmerer
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Recent articles
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I regularly write posts and articles to give you tools, tips, and strategies to make the human stuff a bit easier. They range from ways to increase your self-awareness and self-compassion through to ideas about how to make work "work" better for everyone.
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Check out some of my latest articles below, or head over to my blog to look through the back-catalogue.
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Leading and managing change is one of the greatest challenges that leaders face. And it is also one of the greatest opportunities you have to transform the teams and organisations you work in, and the people you work with, for the better. Choosing to engage in change can be empowering and inspiring. But we don't always get to choose when …
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When was the last time you were at play? Hopefully, it was in the last few days. But if you're like most adults, you'll probably need a second or two to think about your answer to that question. When we were kids, we spent a lot of time playing alone and with friends. And it was even structured into our …
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There is something faintly ironic about the fact that I created the template for this article several years ago, typed the title in, and then got so busy that I didn't write anything until now! I recently had a long weekend away from home, leaving my partner and cats behind to get some "me" time. It was wonderful to have …
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Did you enjoy reading this newsletter? If so, I'd love for you to share it with someone else who might like it. If not, I'd love to hear how you think it can be improved. Drop me a line at daria@dariawilliamson.com
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© 2021 Daria Williamson Limited
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Let's connect!
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