Why Comfort Is A Productivity Killer

Comfort is one of those words we all like and one of those things we tend to strive for on a regular basis, but it also may be the thing that’s killing your productivity. Here’s why.

Photo by Ken Bosma

Ran Zilca, writing for Psychology Today, argues that being too comfortable won’t foster the desire and the ambition you need to go after your dreams. He argues that in the short term we do believe comfort is more important, but choosing comfort over taking risks is what leaves many of us with regrets in the long run:

We live in a society where comfort has become a value and a life goal. But comfort reduces our motivation for introducing important transformations in our lives. Sadly, being comfortable often prohibits us from chasing our dreams. Many of us are like lions in the zoo: well-fed but sit around passively stuck in a reactive rut. Comfort equals boring shortsightedness, and a belief that things cannot change. Your comfort zone is your home base, a safe place not to stay in, but to return to, after each exhausting and exhilarating expedition through the wilderness of life. Take a look at your life today, if you are enjoying a shelter of comfort, break through it and go outside where life awaits.

I’ve definitely found that the more comfortable I get and the less I want, the less I have a desire to do be productive and go after the things that matter. Years ago I was “comfortable” in a job I mostly hated, but I didn’t really realise it because was so simple. I didn’t have to worry about money because I was paid well enough, I had good benefits, and so long as I did my work every day I was fine. I could go home and be lazy at the end of the day and no harm done — you know, except for pretty much giving up on what mattered to me. With so many services and tools available designed to entertain us, do things for us, and keep us comfortable, it can be easy to lose sight of what we really want. So if you find yourself getting too comfortable, I agree with Zilca: break out of your shelter of comfort, get off your butt, and go actually do something that matters to you.

What do you think?

Comfort Kills [Psychology Today]