Have you ever noticed how an artist gets fully immersed in art? If you ever felt utterly absorbed in the task at hand, you might have been experiencing a mental state that psychologists refer to as “Flow.” This Flow state is also referred to as “Being in the Zone” by some people.
It’s a strange paradox where time seems to stand still, and yet it seems to be over in an instance. While being in this mental state, you can feel a sense of relaxation, but it’s also very intense. It’ll make you feel fully present at the moment, but you also seem to lose your sense of self.
This state of being in the zone is not just limited to artists. Athletes, musicians, engineers, and authors often use this state of Flow to reach their top performance. I’ve experienced that Flow is very crucial for happiness at work. It can help you reduce stress and increase your productivity. Not bad, huh?
Today we’ll dig deeper at what exactly Flow is, why it is so important, and how you can achieve it to make your life easier and more productive.
What is Flow?
In simple words, it’s a state of mind in which a person becomes fully immersed in an activity. It’s associated with subjective well-being, satisfaction, and happiness in general. Different people experience Flow in different ways. It’s easier to reach Flow when you enjoy doing something that you are skilled at.
When you get into Flow, you:
- Lose track of time and place
- Feel relaxed and in control over the task
- Become more clear-minded, creative, and focused
- Forget about yourself and others; and
- Experience effortlessness and ease.
The idea of Flow has existed for thousands of years, but the Flow theory began in the 1970s-1980s by a Hungarian psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. He was fascinated by the artists who were so lost in their work that they’d lose track of time and even ignore essentials like food, water, and sleep.
When you give all your attention to an activity that you’re incredibly passionate about, you’ll find it easier to experience a Flow state of mind. The mind’s usual chatter will start to fade away, and you’ll find yourself in a non-distracted zone. All the negative feelings that consume us (fatigue, aches, pain, and inhibition) melt away.
“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.”
(Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).
Neuroscience of Flow state
According to Arne Dietrich, the activity in the prefrontal cortex of your brain is decreased while you’re in the Flow state (2003). The prefrontal cortex is the part of your brain responsible for higher cognitive tasks like self-reflective consciousness and memory. The temporary inactivation of this part of the brain may lead to the feeling of loss of self-consciousness, loss of inner critic, and distortion of time.
Other research suggests that the brain releases dopamine and serotonin (brain chemicals involved in pleasure and motivation) while you’re in the Flow state.
Similarities between Meditation, Mindfulness, and Flow state
Silencing the chatter of your mind while maintaining focus on any task can be very challenging for some people. That’s where meditation and mindfulness come in. If you learn to train your mind to be more present- calmer, clearer, and content. Then you’ll be able to experience a Flow state with a lot more ease.
Mindfulness is the mental state of being present and fully engaged with the activity that you’re doing at the moment. It’s crucial to set yourself free from distractions and judgments. Be aware of thoughts without getting caught up in them.
Meditation has helped me to attain a Flow state for long periods. When you meditate, you train your mind to become more present and clearer. In essence, a Flow state is just an active, moving meditation.
Benefits of achieving Flow State
- Good feelings: Many people describe Flow as an ecstatic state of mind where you get a positive burst of energy. No superficiality is behind this force; it’s just the pleasure you get when you start focusing on something you are extremely passionate about.
- Happiness: While being in a Flow state, your brain releases chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. These chemicals ultimately result in a lasting sense of happiness and fulfillment.
- Better Emotional regulation: With increased Flow, you’ll also experience more growth toward the complexities of emotions. This will allow you to regulate your emotions more effectively.
- Improved Performance: Researchers have found that Flow can help you enhance your performance in a wide variety of tasks to a large extent.
- Better Intrinsic motivation: With a positive mental state and serotonin release, you’ll internally feel motivated to do the task at hand. Csikszentmihalyi said the highest intrinsic motivation is a Flow state where self-consciousness is lost, one surrenders completely to the moment, and time means nothing. (2013)
- More Creativity: Artists have been using the Flow state to increase their creativity since forever. Clarity of mind, in general, will allow creative thoughts to come in.
How to Achieve Flow State of Mind Consciously?
- Eliminate All the External and Internal Distractions
The first step is to eliminate all the external distractions. Your mind must learn to focus with all the attention for at least 10-15 minutes to reach a Flow state.
Put your phone on silent and close all social media tabs. Social media apps today are heavily responsible for the short attention span that most people have. For your mental well-being, it’s extremely important to take breaks from social apps. According to research, once you get distracted, it takes around 25 minutes to gain your attention.
Once you’ve gotten rid of external distractions, it’s time to eliminate all the internal ones. If you’ve stress on your mind, it’ll be incredibly hard to keep your mind focused. Therefore, you must practice meditation and mindfulness. If you want to take this one step further, consider journaling every day.
- Work at your BPT (Biological Peak time)
If you’re low on energy, getting into Flow will feel like an uphill battle. Focusing your willpower and attention on something is energy-draining, so you need to do it when you are mentally and physically energized.
- The task must be challenging enough, but not too challenging.
If you pick an easy task, then you’ll be bored quickly. The task must be hard enough to keep you fully engaged, but not too challenging because then it’ll lead to frustration. Make sure that you’re skilled enough to tackle the challenge with ease. This will lead to an optimum experience of Flow.
- Have a Clear Goal
Your brain will have the right concentration only when you’re clear about what you want to accomplish. By having a clear goal, you prevent your mind from wandering unnecessarily. Procrastination is the result of a lack of clarity. When you’re clear about the outcome, then you can put all your mental energy into the task at hand.
- Listen to music
I have found music to be very effective when it comes to getting into Flow. You need to listen to the right kind of music.
Listening to techno, classic, or trance music on repeat will make it easier to eliminate external distractions. It’s very helpful, especially if you want to achieve Flow in an office environment.
- Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water is the simplest way to improve the performance of your brain. Your ability to concentrate and focus increases when you’re hydrated.
Your brain consists of 75% water; not drinking enough leads to lower energy production and fatigue feeling. If you’re drinking an adequate amount of water, your ability to think faster will increase by 14%, and you’ll experience less brain fog.
- Strategically consume caffeine
Consuming caffeine results in a boost in your ability to focus. If you consume 200 milligrams of caffeine, you’ll be able to work for longer periods, and your short-term memory will also increase. This will make it easier to reach the Flow state.
However, taking more than 400 milligrams of caffeine can lead to increased anxiety, so you must take your doses strategically. I recommend you drink a cup of coffee right before entering the Flow state. Also, avoid drinking coffee after 6:00 p.m., as it may impact the quality of your sleep.
Good Luck!
I’ve always been fascinated by the focus and drive one can get through the Flow state. It’s one of the most productive and happiest states to attain; I encourage you to seek it diligently.
Reaching the Flow state of mind is a delicate process. It requires practice to master it, just like any other skill. Follow the mentioned tips in your next workday and share your experiences in the comments!
