I’m a planner. I always have a plan. Or I’m formulating one. My planning nature has served me well—from leading teams to parenting to caring for ailing parents. Yet planning has its limitations. Unexpected world events and the vagaries of our lives remind us that life is a dance with uncertainty.

Integrating meaningful rituals into our lives, personal and professional, is a great way to support ourselves and our teams in uncertain times. These habits, observances and routines provide respite and the sense of stability, focus, and control we crave. For millennia, rituals in the form of spiritual activities and everyday habits have lessened the discomfort of uncertainty.

Creating rituals for ourselves provides predictable structure amid chaos. Experiment with small rituals that support you. Perhaps a morning meditation, a group exercise class, a cup of coffee/tea and a puzzle, walking the dog, calling a friend, or journaling. Practices that calm the mind and ground the body lower anxiety. In times of uncertainty, these practices fortify us.  

As leaders, we can offer our teams rituals that reinforce a shared sense of belonging, connection, and purpose. An effective ritual doesn’t have to be a big production; we can initiate simple, inclusive rituals—like weekly check-ins, celebrations, or silly emails. In the early days of COVID, for example, one of my clients began sending a short, funny email to her team every Wednesday. Months later, when she missed a week, my client was shocked to discover her team’s disappointment. The weekly ritual had become important to them. What rituals might support you and your team in these times of uncertainty?