diff --git a/packages/string-templates/src/helpers/date.js b/packages/string-templates/src/helpers/date.js
index 514efcd19..0d9bd7803 100644
--- a/packages/string-templates/src/helpers/date.js
+++ b/packages/string-templates/src/helpers/date.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ function getContext(thisArg, locals, options) {
   return context
 }
 
-function initialSteps(str, pattern, options) {
+function initialConfig(str, pattern, options) {
   if (isOptions(pattern)) {
     options = pattern
     pattern = null
@@ -69,34 +69,34 @@ function initialSteps(str, pattern, options) {
 
 function setLocale(str, pattern, options) {
   // if options is null then it'll get updated here
-  ;({ str, pattern, options } = initialSteps(str, pattern, options))
-  const defaults = { lang: "en", date: new Date(str) }
-  const opts = getContext(this, defaults, options)
+  const config = initialConfig(str, pattern, options)
+  const defaults = { lang: "en", date: new Date(config.str) }
+  const opts = getContext(this, defaults, config.options)
 
   // set the language to use
   dayjs.locale(opts.lang || opts.language)
 }
 
 module.exports.date = (str, pattern, options) => {
-  ;({ str, pattern, options } = initialSteps(str, pattern, options))
+  const config = initialConfig(str, pattern, options)
 
   // if no args are passed, return a formatted date
-  if (str == null && pattern == null) {
+  if (config.str == null && config.pattern == null) {
     dayjs.locale("en")
     return dayjs().format("MMMM DD, YYYY")
   }
 
-  setLocale(str, pattern, options)
+  setLocale(config.str, config.pattern, config.options)
 
-  return dayjs(new Date(str)).format(pattern)
+  return dayjs(new Date(config.str)).format(config.pattern)
 }
 
 module.exports.duration = (str, pattern, format) => {
-  ;({ str, pattern } = initialSteps(str, pattern))
+  const config = initialConfig(str, pattern)
 
-  setLocale(str, pattern)
+  setLocale(config.str, config.pattern)
 
-  const duration = dayjs.duration(str, pattern)
+  const duration = dayjs.duration(config.str, config.pattern)
   if (!isOptions(format)) {
     return duration.format(format)
   } else {