Have you ever started working and completely lost track of time? Have you ever been so immersed that the hours flew by like minutes and you even forgot to eat? If so, you may have experienced flow, or as some call it, being ‘in the zone’.
Ideas relating to the state of flow have been acknowledged for thousands of years. The Taoist idea of Wu Wei — or action in non-action is very similar. However, it wasn’t until the late 20th century that the flow state began to be studied empirically and given scientific credentials.
The term ‘flow’ was coined by Hungarian-American psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in the 1970s and elaborated on in his highly celebrated 1990 book Flow: The psychology of happiness. The experience of creatives like Michelangelo, who became so absorbed in his paintings that he would forget to eat or sleep, inspired him to understand this phenomenon. Csíkszentmihályi describes flow as:
‘being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.’
The skill component is key here — you must be challenged to experience flow, but not challenged beyond your capabilities.
So, why is seeking flow so important?
The benefits of flow can be placed into two categories: productivity and something more profound and peaceful than this — happiness.
Productivity
By far the most popularly cited benefits of flow, littered in books and blogs galore is the increased productivity it induces. Free from distractions you can deeply focus on the task at hand. Flow delivers a sense of clarity — your body and mind understand what to do next, with little thought. This can substantially increase both the quantity and quality of your work, especially as it improves creativity and innovation in the long-run. It is also fundamental in workplace satisfaction.
Happiness
Interestingly, the idea of flow was stumbled upon during research on how to achieve happiness. When it comes to flow and happiness, the benefits are momentary as well as long-lasting. As Steven Kotler writes in his book The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance: “No one ever has a bad time in a flow state”. Indeed, it is often said that being in a flow state is an intrinsically positive experience. It is a feeling of pleasure and entails the absence of stress and anxiety.
Flow is not merely an endorphin kick or temporary high, it facilitates a general sense of fulfillment. As we collect periods of flow over time, we create a patchwork of positive and optimal experiences. And since flow includes mastery — the improvement of skill — it is a key pillar of life satisfaction. This long-term happiness is also credited in part to elevated self-esteem. From stripping away our ego and tuning into the task at hand, we lose all sense of self-consciousness, social or generalised anxiety, and we are left feeling more competent because we are engaged in something in which we possess and accumulate skill.
How to Get into the Flow
So, you’ve found a work project or leisure activity that flexes your skills and comes with a healthy dose of challenge. What now?
Unfortunately, flow cannot simply be conjured on command, and some of us achieve it more easily than others. While there are a number of proven factors to help induce flow, author Steven Kotler was on-the-money when he said: “flow is still a happy accident when it happens. All we can do is make you more accident-prone.”
In this sense you do not call flow to you, you go with the flow. However, to get swept up into its tide, it helps to be out at sea. Here’s how you can get there.
Have One Specific Goal
Sitting down with a long to-do list and flicking between different tasks and tabs is not going to get you into the flow state. Getting into that state requires having a clear goal and focusing on it. Making a lot of phone calls, responding to emails and attending a number of mini-meetings is not what the flow state is for. Indeed, flow is best reserved for single-tasking, rather than multi-tasking. In the case of work, a graphic designer might achieve flow while developing a website illustration, or an ice-skater might experience it going over a routine.
Block Out External Distractions
If in your leisure time, you’ rehoning your drawing skills or reading a thought-provoking book, it may be best to find somewhere tranquil to do so. When it comes to working, you may have less control over your environment. So, if a quiet environment is not possible, creating your own version of ‘white noise’ can work just fine — this might be repetitive sounds like rainfall, techno or classical music, or an album you’ve overplayed so much that the lyrics and instrumental melt into one. Frank Ocean’s albums work great for me (not that there is such a thing as overplaying Frank Ocean). Moreover, streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify have handy pre-prepared playlists for focus and study.
It is difficult to fall into or stay within a flow state when your focus has been pulled. In fact, research has shown that whenever you are distracted, it takes an average of 25 minutes for you to slip back into full-focus. So, eating and notifications are a big no-no when you’re in the zone. Try setting aside a solid chunk of time and let your co-workers or those in your space know that you’re tunnelling in.
Tune Out Mental Clutter
Reaching flow state is almost impossible if your mind is whirring and wondering about stresses from the past or the future. In this sense, being able to be truly present will help you reach flow far more easily. Hence, practicing daily meditation and mindfulness is a huge helping hand. In meditation, we practice letting internal chatter flow by and be at ease with ourselves. Journaling is also a great way to wash out excess thoughts and leave them behind for the rest of the day.
Pick a Peak Time
To allow yourself to experience flow, you need to have a little willpower to start with, but your motivation reserves may be running low if you are feeling fatigued. Apart from the obvious advice on eating right and getting enough sleep, it may be beneficial to delegate a time of day for ‘flow’ work.
Everyone has their own biological prime time, choosing your biggest (or most individualistic) project within this time will aid your ability to focus for an extended period. Morning is usually the best time for the majority of people. If this isn’t possible, just after a break or period of relaxation may work well too.
Create A Trigger
Creating a ‘flow state trigger’ or ‘mental cue’ can send your mind signals that it’s time to get into the hyper-focus mode. Doing something special or specific before you sit down (or move into) a flow activity can help prime your mind. This can range from a sentence of affirmation or a sip of herbal tea. For me personally, when studying for my final exams, upon sitting down in the library I would close my eyes and meditate for 1 minute before opening my laptop. It may seem silly or frivolous, but it truly works. This mini habit enables the development of a neuro-association, telling you that now is the time to focus.
Do Something Rewarding
If you can easily track your progress in an activity, it feels more intrinsically rewarding and easier to continue. Hence, why honing a sports skill or painting a picture are such common flow experiences. You can track how well you are doing, and in the case of the latter, it naturally leads to an end-point. If your day-to-day work is intrinsically rewarding, you’re in luck — but there’s no harm making your leisure time flow also.
The Best Moments…
I think it’s best if I leave you with this quote that encapsulates flow’s merits, from the master of flow himself, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi:
“The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times… The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.”
In the age of distraction, it’s time to collect more of these moments.
