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How the pandemic can shift our tech habits

One of the few positive effects of the pandemic is that it provides an opportunity to shift some bad habits and build some better ones. According to Jamie Nascimento, co-founder at LemonTree Software – the first low-code development platform for financial services with an alternative asset investment solution – the pandemic has exposed workarounds that many of his clients have in place, as their software didn’t deliver against their needs during lockdown. In this feature he explores the possibility of changing your habits, particularly tech habits, during a time when everything is in flux.

Habits. We all have them – good and bad. But, we tend to only think about the bad ones – the mid-morning chocolate or taking the lift two stories versus the stairs.

We don’t spend enough time thinking about our good habits. If you’ve built a habit that means you go for a run every day or eat a healthy breakfast, well done.

Imagine a world where you have to consciously consider every single action you take. Think about how taxing and tiring your morning routine would be. You wouldn’t have the energy or ability to engage with anything else. That’s a world without habits.

In this article, we’ll look deeper at habits – habits in life, habits in tech, as well as why the coronavirus pandemic provides a rare opportunity to shake up your habit stack. 

So what exactly is a habit? A behaviour, frequently repeated in a stable context to pursue a specific goal, supported by positive reinforcement. A behaviour becomes a habit when you make the connection between the positive response and the contextual action. Or more simply, a habit is when the action is no longer something you have to consciously deal with.

For example, when you hear your phone telling you that an email has arrived, you tap the icon, open it and read it. You don’t think about it. It’s effortless. This makes it non-tiring. The action of opening the email is rewarded with knowing its contents immediately. Habits are hard to break once entrenched. They are even harder to form. 

Experts say that if you want to shed bad habits and start better ones, the best time to do it is during a major life-changing event, such as moving house. This is because you remove the old cues that lead you to act in a certain way. Your mind is also more open to new ideas and opportunities.

Of course, you can’t just move house whenever you like, so we need to look for different opportunities.

The pandemic has changed or removed many of the old triggers that you base your habits around. You’re not going into the office anymore. The gym is closed – as is the pub. You may be home-schooling your children. Everything is disrupted.

If there’s a habit you want to break, or something more beneficial you want to incorporate into your daily routine, try to do it now. You’re much more likely to be successful. The impact of forming a beneficial habit can be massive, in life and business.

Habits and tech

Habits and tech have a two-way relationship. We can use tech to help build new habits and optimise our day. For example, exercise trackers on our phone reinforce the need to keep moving, while workflow tools help make our work routines more efficient.

We also have tech habits, such as the core platforms we use every day. Ask yourself why you use these platforms as a matter of routine. Is it because they’re the best in the market? Do they help you drive the best returns, or deliver against the needs of your clients? Or, do you just use them because it’s what you’ve always done? Is it a good habit or a bad habit?

Low-code, and our auto-code approach to development, offers a positive change in how technology impacts the day to day. LemonTree has simplified the process to develop innovative technology, and powering complex solutions. That’s a habit we all want.

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