When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

by Daniel H. Pink

Organizations, too, can enlist this technique. Recent research has shown that the fresh start effect applies to teams.24 Suppose a company’s new quarter has a rough beginning. Rather than waiting until the next quarter, an obvious fresh start date, to smooth out the mess, leaders can find a meaningful moment occurring sooner—perhaps the anniversary of the launch of a key product—that would relegate previous screwups to the past and help the team get back on track. Or suppose some employees are not regularly contributing to their retirement accounts or failing to attend important training sessions. Sending them reminders on their birthdays rather than on some other day could prompt them to start acting. Consumers might also be more open to messages on days framed as fresh starts, Riis found.25 If you’re trying to encourage people to eat healthier, a campaign calling for Meatless Mondays will be far more effective than one advocating Vegan Thursdays.