This is a blog by Ronald Hoek, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Radix.
The first 2 months of 2024 lay behind us. Many people started the year with some good intentions. Stop smoking, reduce drinking, exercising more, etc. But we all know it’s tough, really tough.
Research showed an interesting result. 77 percent of those surveyed maintained their promises during the first week. That sounds good, but if you think about it a little longer, it means that 23 percent dropped out in the first week. Not good. And if we look at the number of people who kept their good intentions in the long term, more than 50 percent drop out. Even after 2 years, only 19 percent of the respondents managed to keep their New Year’s resolutions. On the one hand dramatic, on the other hand you can say that almost twenty percent have completed their New Year’s resolution. Better than nothing.
Also, in the working environment changing habits is not easy. Practical changes only work when they deliver real noticeable value. There are no shortcuts when it comes to changing workplace habits. In fact, there’s an interesting study published in Jeremy Dean’s book, ‘Making Habits, Breaking Habits: Why We Do Things, Why We Don’t, and How to Make Any Change Stick’. According to Dean, a simple habit like drinking a glass of water after a meal, can be established in around 20 days. But a more demanding or complex behavior can take much longer to become habitual. The average time it took for a participant to realize their intended habit, during Dean’s study, was 66 days.
And how about us?
Worldwide technology providers are working on improving the results in greenhouse operations. A broader range of technology and AI-driven solutions bring new opportunities to help growers and greenhouse owners improve results and make their operations financially sustainable and future proof. This is successful. But in many cases, working with new technology and AI solutions also demands a change of habits and a change in the mindset of those involved.
This is not new. With the introduction of the first climate computer, growers had to relearn and redefine their growing habits. And see what it did bring us in a positive way! But technology never stops, developments go even at a higher pace. The question for growers and greenhouse operators continues to pop up: can you rely on what’s new and different? Can you let go of the steering wheel of daily processes while embracing new technology?
Many of us work with rules of thumb and convictions that have been built up over the years. Then the saying goes: if you keep doing what you did, you’ll get what you got. So, what’s your good intention in your daily job? And do you belong to the 20% that’s successful in changing habits, improving the competitive edge, and unlocking new values? And if you know an easy way to change habits, please let me know.