You may have experienced the flow state, a state of mind where you feel a deep sense of fluidity between your body and mind, allowing you to be fully absorbed and focused on a task. This feeling goes beyond mere concentration, time may appear to slow down and your senses are heightened.
It is often described as being “in the zone,” and can occur during physical activities, creative pursuits, or everyday tasks. The benefits of achieving flow state are accessible to everyone and can enhance the experience of the task at hand.
Read on to find out ways we can tap into flow state, and how it can enhance any aspect of our lives, from hobbies and relaxation to our work lives, talents and careers.
What is Flow State and How Can I Access It?
The only experience of true fluidity between your body and mind is through ‘flow state’, as described by psychologists Csikszentmihalyi and Nakamura. This immersive state of mind is characterised by intense focus, immediate feedback, and a sense of clarity, all leading to a feeling of ecstasy. It is often experienced during physical or creative activities. Therefore it is worth noting that engagement and concentration are crucial for entering flow state. Csikszentmihalyi and Nakamura reached this conclusion by interviewing a wide variety of high-performers including mountain climbers, chess players, surgeons, and ballet dancers. They noticed that when someone becomes singularly focused on, and totally immersed in a task, it creates the conditions necessary to experience a flow state of mind. The usual background noise of thoughts in our mind is quietened and we are placed in a non-distracted zone. Challenging ourselves with a task we enjoy and excel in can help us achieve this state of mind, leaving us feeling motivated and fulfilled.
Stress and anxiety can prevent us from achieving true immersion during flow state. To enter flow state, it is essential to practise being in the present moment, accepting change without frustration or anger, and allowing life to unfold in spontaneity and presence. The benefits of flow state include regulating emotions, increased motivation, and a greater sense of enjoyment.
Harness The Power Of Mindfulness And Meditation
“Smile, breathe and go slowly.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
Focus and concentration, as we know, are essential to us achieving our short-term and long-term goals. However, maintaining a level of stability in our minds can be challenging for many people on a day-to-day basis. That’s where the benefits of meditation and mindfulness come in. These practices can train our minds to be more present and more peaceful to allow clearer thinking and cognitive processing.
By definition, mindfulness is the quality of being present and fully engaged in the moment at hand, free from any judgement and distractions. During a mindful state, we can also be aware of our thoughts and our emotional states without letting them take over. We can observe them come and go. Meditation encourages our minds to be present in this way by actively creating the conditions necessary to do so. We provide ourselves with a focal point during meditation, so that when we observe that we have become distracted, we can return to the object of focus. Flow state is said to combine both concepts of meditation and mindfulness. In essence, flow state could be said to be a form of meditation whereby a person is involved in an activity.
What Are The Benefits Of Flow State?
Flow state offers more than just a positive feeling, it provides several benefits, such as:
- Greater emotional control and awareness
- Increased satisfaction due to the intrinsic rewards of the task
- Heightened engagement in the task at hand
- Boosted creativity as self-consciousness fades away
- Enhanced focus on the task
- Greater confidence in achieving the task’s goals
Tips To Get Into Flow State:
- Balancing Challenge and Skill
The challenge-skill balance is crucial in achieving flow state. If a task is too easy, you may become bored and lose focus, while a task that is too difficult may lead to stress and anxiety, making it hard to get into the flow. Therefore, finding the right balance between challenge and skill is essential.
- Have Clear Goals to Achieve Flow State.
When you know what you want to accomplish, it is easier to get into the flow because you can focus on the task at hand without getting sidetracked. Prioritise key goals for you to stay on track.
- Minimise Distractions for Optimal Flow State
Distractions can hinder your ability to achieve flow state. While the brain naturally filters out distractions once you’re in the flow, it can be challenging to get started. Therefore, reducing distractions is vital to achieving the mental clarity required for flow state.
Don’t Get Despondent:
It can be easy to compare yourself to flow states you managed to achieve in the past, but it’s worth remembering we are human. Our mental states are very changeable as we experience bad days as well as good. There is a concept called the paradox of control, the more you try to control something, the harder it is to control. So, if you find yourself having an “off day”, remind yourself it’s normal and that it’s ok. You can still be productive and successful in learning and making progress, without constantly being in the flow state. But also remember that the same practices of reducing distractions and cutting multitasking can help you focus on your chosen task — even if you don’t quite get into flow state this time.
The Takeaways:
Flow state is among the various productivity techniques that can assist you in accomplishing your best work, or simply just an incredible feeling of complete control, which can be beneficial to our mental health. Similar to other productivity strategies, flow state enables you to concentrate on your priorities and maintain your focus for an extended period.
Sources Used:
A Review on the Role of the Neuroscience of Flow States in the Modern World Joshua Gold
Sensible Car Finance is a broker service offering advice on the best car finance package for you.