Working definition
A Continuity SLA is a named reply and follow-up window that makes your relationship chain deterministic — continuity as a Personal Standard, not a heroic burst when energy spikes.
How it works
You often know the next step needs facilitation — then delay the switch from knowing to doing. Continuity fails in the gap between intention and calendar.
The install:
- Name the windows — reply within X hours; follow-up within Y days after first contact (example room: 24h reply · 15-day follow-up).
- Publish the bar to yourself — write it once; do not renegotiate mid-week because the bar feels high.
- Pair with preparation — All Success Lies in Its Preparation: the SLA is the fuel check before takeoff, not the flight itself.
Distinction from vague “stay in touch”: an SLA is measurable. If you cannot say whether you kept it, it is not yet an SLA.
Signature
Reply window. Follow-up window. Run them like a standard — not like inspiration.
Room: 2026-07-27.
Your move this week
- Write one continuity SLA in one line (reply hours · follow-up days).
- Run it for 48h without lowering the bar.
- Log one breach and one keep — then adjust the number once, not daily.
Scientific grounding
Cite
- Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503.
- Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705–717.
A reply/follow-up window is a specific, challenging standard with a cue — if-then fidelity plus measurable bars beat vague “stay in touch.” When the break is cue/friction design rather than motivation, open the habit systems companion in Adjacent.