Maximizing the Peak-End Rule: Navigating Furloughs and Layoffs
When my partner and I attended a childbirth session for our first baby, the instructor introduced us to the Peak-End Rule. This psychological principle, coined by Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman, suggests that people’s memories of an experience are most influenced by the emotional peak and the ending, rather than the overall duration of the event. The instructor used examples from childbirth to illustrate how a positive memory of the baby being born can outweigh the impact of the pain endured during the process. After seeing numerous posts on my timeline about layoffs and furloughs, I started to think about how we could apply the Peak-End Rule during these tough times.
The peak-end rule is a psychological heuristic in which people judge an experience largely based on how they felt at its peak (i.e., its most intense point) and at its end, rather than based on the total sum or average of every moment of the experience.
Losing your job is never easy, whether it’s due to a furlough or a layoff. The sudden change can cause a range of emotions, from shock and anger to sadness and despair. However, it’s important to remember that this is not the end of your career. In fact, by following the principles of the peak-end rule, you can maximize your chances of success during this difficult time.
