“The Hot Mess Express” vs “In The Zone”

Peak performance requires consistently accessing flow states (aka being “in the zone”). Are you experiencing the exact opposite? Becoming aware of your indicators is the first step course correct.

Picture this.

I start walking my dog on a leash while my kid is biking alongside me. The dog poops, and now I have a bag of it to carry to the garbage. Oh, then my kid gets tired and wants me to piggyback her the rest of the way home. Oh, and now I need to carry the bike.

There I am. Dog leash and poop bag in my right hand, her bike in my left hand, and my kiddo desperately hanging onto my neck as I piggyback her home. My face is bright red as I try to not get choked out while hulking everything else in my arms.

When I look or feel like a disheveled “hot mess express,” I know I’m miles away from being “in the zone.” It’s one of the obvious indicators that I’m taking on too much and need to simplify.

Unfortunately, I can be stubborn.

Yesterday, I found myself again in this disheveled state. I was trying to rush leaving for work, and I ended up doing too many things at once. I was trying to wrap up 3 simultaneous conversations with my wife and two kids. I was trying to collect my keys, my laptop, my lunch, my hat, my glasses, my water bottle, my coat, and my workout clothes. So there I was, again, holding a disarrayed pile of stuff while trying to give my kids a kiss on the way to the garage.

I could have made it 10x easier. Finish the conversation. Make two trips with half the stuff. Keep it easy breezy. Instead, I forgot two things and needed to return, wasting 5 minutes in the process.

You probably have similar indicators that you are way out of the zone. It could be overwhelm or anxiety. It could be that you didn’t have enough time to brush your teeth or that you can’t focus on a task for more than 60 seconds before the next interruption. Whatever they are, learn to look, listen, and feel them. If you’re like me, you might be stubborn enough to push through them for a while. Don’t. These are like the flashing indicators in your car, letting you know to take care of things before they worsen.

And besides. No one likes the feeling of an anti-flow state. Being in the zone is much better (and, ultimately, more effective than trying to be hyper-efficient).