Money, Time, and Health
To get a better sense of how the Instant Zone and Lasting Zone differ, consider the chart below. The chart shows different ways that people spend their money, take care of their health, and use their time. What will happen to the person who lives in the Instant Zone? How about the Lasting Zone?
| Instant Zone | Lasting zone | |
|---|---|---|
| Money | Buy latest clothes & gadgets Purchase things they don’t need or like Overspending |
Helping others Saving money Buying essentials Starting a business |
| Health | Eating chips & candy Drinking soda Sleeping all day Eating fried foods |
Working out Eating vegetables Getting regular sleep Drinking lots of water |
| Time | Checking Facebook Watching TV Staying up all night Socializing too much |
Studying Volunteering Working Balancing social time |
Let’s see what happens to a person who stays in the instant and lasting zones.
- Instant Zone
- This person will quickly run out of money or, even worse, not know how to manage his or her money as an adult.
- This person will put herself at great risk for diseases like diabetes because she eats junk food and does not work out.
- There is a hole at the bottom of the Instant Zone column; allocate your money or time here and, like magic, they are gone.
- Lasting Zone
- This person will have a much higher chance of staying healthy.
- This person will have money to spend on important things.
- This person will get into college or find a good job.
- When you allocate your resources into the Lasting Zone, instead of throwing them down the drain, you get something back and build toward the future.
Do not think you have to be in the Lasting Zone all the time; that is impossible. Everyone needs some time to relax, watch a little TV, or spend money on something enjoyable.
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But you should be in the Lasting Zone most of the time. And it will not be easy because there are many temptations in the Instant Zone.
There are two easy ways to stay in the Lasting Zone.
Two ways to stay in the Lasting Zone
Way 1:
First of all, stop yourself throughout the day and ask yourself what zone you are in. For example, if you have a choice to eat a vegetable or a bag of Cheetos, tell yourself, “I am going to go in the Lasting Zone right now by eating that vegetable.” If you have been watching TV for three hours, tell yourself that it is time to move to the Lasting Zone by doing something that makes you better long-term. Develop awareness of what zone you are in throughout the day and make adjustments.
Way 2:
The other way to stay in the Lasting Zone is to plan your week ahead of time and schedule Lasting Zone activities to make sure you get them done.