The ritual effect

Harvard psychologist Michael Norton demonstrates how turning everyday habits into rituals can improve our work, our relationships and our lives. Think of the quirky traditions that you keep up with your friends. Or the unusual ways that you and your family mark special occasions. Or the gifts that your partner gives - and what you'd think if they'd bought the same for an ex. These are rituals: practices that are imbued with symbolic meaning. And they have the power to turn black-and-white moments into technicolour. Along the way, Norton shares stories from sporting superstars (Serena Williams always bouncing the ball five times before her first serve), million-dollar companies (Zipcar urging staff to destroy their old desktops with sledgehammers) and ordinary people (inventing their own 'ritual signatures'), who reimagine everyday moments, build camaraderie, and spark joy.