Look at your day.
You might move from task to meeting, doing to not doing.
You might achieve goals or avoid them, take on new challenges or zone out, you might have lots of variety, you might not.
You might be stressed, you might be chill.
You might be in the panic zone, the comfort zone or the stretch zone. Or all three.
You might move from zone to zone, maybe quickly, maybe with predictable pattern, maybe not much at all.
Taking time to look at your patterns will help you learn about your strengths. The three-zone model described below may also provide insights about your mindset toward work and toward trying new things.
What energy dominates your day? What zone(s) are you in? How do they serve you?
For some of us, a sense of panic dominates. That’s the voice that says stuff like- go faster, keep going, you aren’t going to finish, you need to catch up, you need to hurry! Nothing wrong with the panic zone if it fuels your fire. Nothing good about it if it’s burning you out.
You might dwell in the comfort zone. Before you pass judgement on the merits of this zone, make a few notes. All of us should be very familiar with what’s in our comfort zone. We ought to be able to name the tasks and interactions and things that come easily or without stress. At best, the comfort zone is a “go-to” place comprised of what we’re good at, what we enjoy, what we know. At worst, the comfort zone is where we play it safe, maybe even hiding out from … the stretch zone or the panic zone.
Now think about the stretch zone. What falls in that category for you? I define stretch as the zone that requires effort, perhaps more brain power; it could be the tasks that you need help with, that take more time, or activities that push your buttons. For an introvert, stretching is networking. Or writing for a non-writer, spreadsheets for a non-analytical person. Stretching might be accountability and goal setting. Or just plain taking on a new task that doesn’t fit into your schedule. To move into stretch, you might need to get help, or a mentor or support. You might need structure or a class. You might need someone around to acknowledge that it’s hard.
Here’s what I notice about my worktime. I spend most of my time in the comfort zone. I do what I like doing and what comes easily to me.
I don’t like the panic zone. When I feel panic, I hop out as quickly as I can.
When it comes to stretching, I tend to stay in a safe place. I stretch still into familiar places.
When I do stretch, it takes me a lot of warming up, almost like working out, to get there. I want to stretch myself in theory but I have to consciously commit and hold myself accountable to get in there and stay.
After a while. stretching feels good. By naming my stretch, I can also stick with it more successfully.
Now it’s your turn.
Make a grid with three boxes, one for each zone. Make notes about how you spend your day and note patterns in zone time and zone movement.
Comfort zone – keep a running list of what feels comfortable and easy. Everything here is fodder for your job search. Do what comes easy to you!
Panic zone- notice how much time you spend here and if it’s serving you. If not, the challenge is to transform panic into stretch or comfort. Do you need support? Do you need instruction? Do you need acknowledgement that you’re doing well? Sort out the panic from the stuff that’s new and the stuff that is hard.
Stretch zone- do you delve into the stretch zone? Remember that this is a zone that requires extra energy, so make sure it doesn’t consume your whole day! If the work of life right now is a stretch, make sure you have breaks.
Notice how you move from zone to zone, investigate patterns and connections, and consider how being in one particular zone affects your mood and feeling of fulfillment. For example, if you spend a lot of time in the comfort zone, that might lead to dissatisfaction. It could even be that doing things that are too easy isn’t enlivening! Reflect on what’s true for you.
Lastly, think about where you’d like to spend more time in zone terms. Choose one area to work on and put it on your calendar. That includes the panic zone. Maybe you need to acknowledge what’s stressful and step into it!