The Stress Performance Curve is pretty self-explanatory, the more stressed we get the further along the curve we move. Here is an explanation of the different zones on the curve.
1. Boredom Zone
In the first zone there is very low stress and we are bored. Stay here too long and you will feel the effects of boreout which are just as dangerous as burnout. If you are in this zone in your life or work, your mental, emotional, physical & spiritual health is at risk.
Performance in this zone is next to nothing.
2. Comfort Zone
As our stress levels increase we move into our comfort zone, this is manageable stress and is on the way to peak performance. It is comfortable here but there is no growth and if you stay here too long, you will slip back into the boredom zone.
Performance in this zone is higher than in the boredom zone but not at it’s best.
3. Stretch Zone
As pressure & stress increases, we move into the stretch zone. This is where our minds & bodies are being stretched. You know that feeling when you’ve got a lot on your plate but you’re totally in control, you are busy but you are really enjoying it.
This is the zone where your level of stress and your level of performance are at their optimal. Everyone wants to be here – not stressed, not overloaded, not under pressure but challenged, stretched & at absolute peak performance.
This is where we do our best work.
This is where we live our best lives.
This is where our mind, body and soul are at optimum health.
This is where we excel.
In a Lean Culture, this is where employees are the happiest, most productive and where we should aim to stay. When employees are working in this zone they are healthy, happy, engaged, committed, learning, problem solving and enjoying their roles.
Businesses that support their employees to stay in this zone thrive.
4. Strain Zone
As pressure and stress levels increase we now move into the strain zone. We no longer feel in control and we start to feel under pressure, overloaded, too much on our plate and it’s hard to see the wood from the trees. In this zone we are no longer operating an optimum level – our performance, interest, happiness, health and energy levels decrease and everything starts to go downhill.
Performance in this zone is diminished and reduces every day you stay here.
In this zone we have two choices. One – to continue with the workload, continue taking on pressure and stress and hope it somehow alleviates. This is not a wise choice and we just continue on the slippery slope towards burnout.
The other choice is to STOP.
Stop taking on work, stop taking on activities, stop taking on pressure & stress. Remove as much as we can from our workload. This is a very wise choice and as you start to remove items from your to-do list you will start to move backwards through the Stress Performance Curve.
5. Burnout Zone
When you are in the strain zone and you continue you to take on activities/work and continue to add to your to-do list you will eventually end up in the the burnout zone.
You may think you are getting loads done, that you are ploughing through stuff and you are on your A-game but you are not. You are now back to the level of performance that you were when you were in the boredom zone.
Performance in this zone is next to nothing.
You may be getting things done but there is no time for thinking, no time for creativity, no time for imagination, no time for innovation, no time for rest, relaxation and recuperation, no time for anything only the to-do list. Whilst you are getting to your to-do list, the pace and quality of work is immensely diminished.
In this zone it’s fight or flight and that’s about it.
Not only is this not sustainable but it is also dangerous to your mental, emotional, physical & spiritual health. There is no enjoyment in what you are doing and you wondering is the to-do list ever going to end! You probably become irritable, unfulfilled, unhappy, unproductive and apathetic.
This is a very real and dangerous place to find yourself in.
If you are here, do everything you can to get out of this zone, your health is more at risk than you would imagine.
The Stress Performance Curve is fascinating and the amount of time we spend in each of the zones and how long it takes us to go from one zone to another different for us all.
Knowing about and understanding the symptoms of each of the zones of the Stress Performance Curve goes a long way to ensuring you stay in the stretch zone or at least not too far away from it!
Human beings are not machines, we all have limits and going past those limits damages our most valuable asset, our health!
In my next blog post I give you an insight into ‘My Journey through the Stress Performance’.
Where are you on the Stress Performance Curve?
How long have your been there?
Are you aware when you are heading into the Strain and Burnout Zones?
Are you aware when you are heading into the Comfort and Boredom Zones?
How do you keep yourself at peak performance in the Stretch Zone?
How do you keep your team and your business at peak performance in the Stretch Zone?
Thanks for reading,
Siobhain
x x
Want to read more about Positive Change?
Download your free e-book ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ and sign up to my Weekly Newsletter below.