The Science of Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone (and

Why You Should)

The Science of Your "Comfort Zone," and Why It's So Hard to Leave It
Your “Comfort Zone” is a behavioral space where your activities and behaviors fit a routine and
pattern that minimizes stress and risk. It provides a state of mental security. You benefit in obvious
ways: regular happiness, low anxiety, and reduced stress
Psychologists Robert M. Yerkes and John D. Dodson explained that a state of relative comfort
created a steady level of performance in order to maximize performance, however, we need a state
of relative anxiety—a space where our stress levels are slightly higher than normal. This space is
called "Optimal Anxiety", and it's just outside our comfort zone
However, pushing too hard can actually cause a negative result, and reinforce the idea that
challenging yourself is a bad idea. It's our natural tendency to return to an anxiety neutral,
comfortable state
Your comfort zone is neither a good or bad thing, so don't demonize your comfort zone as something
holding you back. We all need that head-space where we're least anxious and stressed so we can
process the benefits we get when we leave it

What You Get When You Break Free and Try New Things
“Optimal anxiety” is that place where your mental productivity and performance reach their peak.
What do you really get when you're willing to step outside of your comfort zone?
1. You'll be more productive. Comfort kills productivity because without the sense of unease
(malestar) that comes from having deadlines and expectations, we tend to phone it in (hacer
algo con desgano) and do the minimum required to get by

2. You'll have an easier time dealing with new and unexpected changes. One of the worst
things we can do is pretend fear and uncertainty don't exist. Learning to live outside your
comfort zone when you choose, can prepare you for life changes that force you out of it

3. You'll find it easier to push your boundaries in the future. Once you start stepping out of
your comfort zone, it gets easier over time; you'll become accustomed to that state of
optimal anxiety. You'll see that as you challenge yourself, your comfort zone adjusts so what
was difficult and anxiety-inducing becomes easier as you repeat it

4. You'll find it easier to brainstorm and harness (aprovechar) your creativity. This is a soft
benefit, but it's fairly common knowledge that seeking new experiences, learning new skills,
and opening the door to new ideas inspire us and educate us in a way that little else does
(solo algunas otras cosas pueden hacerlo, pero no muchas)
How to Break Out of Your Comfort Zone
Outside your comfort zone can be a good place to be, as long as you don’t force yourself into it too
much. Everyone's comfort zone is different, and what may expand your horizons may paralyze
someone else. Remember, optimal anxiety can bring out your best, but too much is a bad thing
Here are some ways to break out and expand your comfort zone without going too far:
1. Do everyday things differently. Recalibrate your reality. Whether the change you make is
large or small, make a change in the way you do things on a day-to-day basis
2. Take your time making decisions. Sometimes slowing down is all it takes to make you
uncomfortable, so just defending your right to make an educated decision can push you out
of your comfort zone. Think, don't just react
3. Trust yourself and make snap decisions. There are people that are more comfortable
weighing all of the possible options several times, over and over again. Making a snap call
once in a while can help you kickstart (empezar rápido) your personal projects and teach you
to trust your judgement
4. Do it in small steps. It takes a lot of courage to break out of your comfort zone. You get the
same benefits whether you go in with both feet as you do if you start slow, so don't be afraid
to start slow. Identify your fears, and then face them step by step
There are lots of other ways to stretch your personal boundaries, like learn a new language or skill,
travel, volunteer, and beyond. The experiences you have may be mind-blowing or regrettable, but
that doesn't matter. The point is that you're doing it, and you're pushing yourself past the mental
blocks that tell you to do nothing

Why It's Important to Return to Your Comfort Zone from Time to Time
You can't live outside of your comfort zone all the time. You need to come back from time to time
to process your experiences. The last thing you want is for the new and interesting to quickly
become commonplace and boring. This phenomenon, called “Hedonistic Adaptation”, is the natural
tendency to be impressed by new things only to have the incredible become ordinary after a short
time
You can fight this by trying new, smaller things. Ordering something new at a restaurant where you
get the same thing every visit can be eye-opening (revelador) the same way visiting a new country
can be, and both push you out of your comfortable spaces. Diversify the challenges you embrace so
you don't just push your boundaries in the same direction

Take It Slow, and Make Stretching Your Boundaries a Habit of Its Own
The point of stepping out (salirse) of your comfort zone is to embrace new experiences and to get to
that state of optimal anxiety in a controlled, managed way, not to stress yourself out. Take time to
reflect on your experiences so you can reap (cosechar) the benefits and apply them to your day to
day activities. Make it a habit if you can. Try something new every week, or every month
Similarly, don't limit yourself to big, huge experiences. The goal isn't to become an adrenaline
junkie—you just want to learn to learn what you're really capable of. That's another reason why it's
important to return to a comfortable state sometimes and just relax. Just don't forget to bring back
as much as you can carry from those inspired, creative, productive, and slightly uncomfortable
moments when you do