The “comfort zone” is that cozy space where everything feels familiar and stress-free. It’s where we stick to what we know, using the same old strategies that keep things steady but can also lead to feeling stuck.

In this zone, there’s not much motivation to push for new achievements, so progress can start to plateau.

Studies show a certain level of physiological or mental arousal can boost performance. However, this only holds up to a point. Too little arousal keeps us in our comfort zone, while too much pushes us into paralysis.

Regularly evaluating your comfort level with your work is a smart way to maintain momentum and keep progressing toward those ambitious goals you’ve set for yourself.

Here’s how to do it.

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