Life is stressful. It’s important that we all have a physical place to run to when things start piling up and we need to take a breather. I think a lot of us already have what one may describe as a ‘comfort zone’, whether we’re consciously aware of it or not. It could be your bed, a certain area of your local coffee shop, or maybe a friend’s house or something. For me, it’s my computer. Now, a lot of people will tell you you need to leave your comfort zone in order to accomplish anything, but I disagree wholeheartedly. Besides, this post isn’t about productivity, it’s about making sure you’re comfortable. I think individualistic cultures hold too much value on maximizing productivity and superiority. So, that being said, where do you relax?

Often, the area that makes you most comfortable is dictating by circumstance rather than choice. My area is my computer simply because it’s the area where I’m most free to be both alone and myself (since I have good headphones that cancel a lot of sound and, sharing a bedroom, it’s the only place that is really “mine”). But as these areas can serve different purposes, they can be used for different things, too. Maybe you like going to a coffee shop because it’s quieter (or even louder!) there. Or maybe it’s easier to focus on being productive when you’re not at home.

You probably have a place like this, and I’d doubt you would have to think hard about it to know what it is. But it’s also a good idea to not only personalize this area, but in order to maximize the comfort and relaxation you get out of it, you need to think about the things you like in order to help yourself out. For me, I like organization, but I’m also a little lazy. But I feel a lot more comfortable at my computer after I’ve taken the time to clean my desk area and throw away the things I need to. I also don’t like stagnation, so every few months I’ll rearrange the decorations on my desk so it still feels like a new place every once in a while.

But of course, everybody’s different. The key thing here is to think about what would make your comfort zone even more comfortable than it may already be. If it’s that place in the local coffee shop that you go to a lot, you may not be able to “personalize it”, but maybe you can ask the people that work there if you can donate an extension cord so you can finally hang out and have an accessible outlet! Unconventional? Sure, but you can also make sure it won’t get stolen by possibly having the employees there tape or staple it in place. Most people will be kind to you if you show them kindness first, so remember to ask politely!

But there’s no way any place can be perfect. Just remember to make sure you’re as comfortable as possible when you’re taking time to relax, and take measures to improve that relaxation for the future. Your future you will certainly thank you for buying a mug warmer you can use as a coaster, or buying a mini fridge so you don’t have to leave the room to get another glass of eggnog. It all depends on how willing you are to make your future you more relaxed!