What is flow
Have you ever been so immersed while doing something that nothing else seems to matter? While many people who’ve had such experiences often describe this state as being “in the zone.” A more accurate term is flow state, or commonly just “flow.” Flow is the highly focused and immersive mental state that happens when you’re fully absorbed and engaged in a task or activity. Researchers consider the flow state to be the most optimal state of consciousness. Because of this, it's not surprising that those who aim to optimize their performance also work to attain flow.
In addition, researchers have studied flow across many contexts, most notably in work and professional settings, sports and physical activities, educational settings, gaming and digital environments, hobbies and leisure activities, and in social and group settings.
Characteristics of flow
- Total concentration. During flow you experience complete focus on the activity or task at hand with no interfering thoughts. This deep concentration allows you to stay fully engaged, block out internal and external distractions, and enables you to perform more efficiently and effectively.
- Merging of action and awareness. During flow you become so absorbed in your activity that your actions and your awareness merge and your experience feels automatic.
- Loss of self-consciousness. Flow decreases your sense of self, your worries about social evaluation, or how you appear to others. Thoughts about yourself and your ego fade into the background, and the kind of thinking that’s been shown to frustrate performance is sidetracked.
- Sense of control. When you’re in flow, it’s common to experience a strong sense of personal control over the activity or task at hand. You might also feel like you’re capable of handling any challenge without a lot of effort.
- Transformation of time. While you’re in flow, your perception of time can feel altered or distorted. You might feel like time is speeding up, slowing down, or is completely irrelevant. You may even lose track of time and not realize how much has actually passed while you were in flow.
- “Autotelic” experience. Your activities while in flow are typically “autotelic experiences,” meaning you enjoy and do them without any expectation of some future reward or benefit. This autotelic experience is often driven by your “internal motivation.” Internal motivation is where the activity or task provides joy and satisfaction, making the experience deeply fulfilling.
Benefits of flow
Experiencing flow can lead to:
- Improved focus, engagement, and enjoyment in activities or tasks which can make them feel more fulfilling.
- Reduced worry, self-doubt, and fear which can lead to better moods overall and increase your sense of wellbeing.
- Increased self-confidence and belief in your abilities which can help you feel more capable and competent during and after flow experiences.
- Boosted learning and creativity due to immediate feedback which can lead to skill improvement and development.
- Optimized performance, decision-making, and problem solving which can lead to improved effectiveness overall.
Although it’s possible to experience flow while engaging in any activity or task at hand, you can’t make flow happen.
3 things you need for flow
- Clearly defining your goals increases your chances of entering flow. It can be helpful to break down your activity or task into smaller, specific, and more manageable objectives. Try using HPRC’s SMART goals worksheet to get the hang of doing this. You can set your goals in advance or, when needed, you can adjust them as your demands change. Knowing exactly what you want to accomplish not only helps your sense of purpose and direction, but it can also help you maintain your focus and motivation along the way.
- Matching your skill level to the challenge is one of the most critical things for flow to occur. If the activity or task is too easy, you’re likely to lose interest or get bored. Or, if the activity or task is too difficult or demanding, you’re likely to feel anxious or become frustrated. Strive for balance and gradually increase the challenge level of your activity or task as your skills improve.
- Your ability to receive feedback is also important to enter and maintain flow. Make sure you establish and have a way to measure your progress. Immediate feedback is often obtained from the activity itself, allowing you to constantly adjust your actions to meet the required demands. Receiving explicit feedback, whether internal (a feeling of accomplishment) or external (completion of a step) helps to inform you that you are getting closer to accomplishing the goals of the activity or task at hand.
Strategies and tips for attaining flow
- Cultivate deep focus and eliminate distractions. Distraction is the enemy of flow. In today’s digitally-connected and highly-distracted culture, it takes conscious effort to create an interruption-free environment.
- Avoid multitasking and focus on one task at a time. For example, cut back on tech by turning off notifications and closing unnecessary tabs or applications on your devices.
- Assess your physical surroundings. What might distract you from paying complete attention to your activity or task? Declutter if needed and remove distractions..
- Shift your attention to the process and away from expected outcomes. This can help reduce any pressure or anxiety you might feel to achieve a certain result or receive some anticipated reward or benefit.
- Develop skills such as mindfulness to learn how to push aside intrusive thoughts. This can help you maintain concentration and attention and be present in the moment.
- Be effective with time management. Be deliberate about managing your time and include dedicated blocks for deep focus where you eliminate interruptions and distractions. These uninterrupted periods allow you to fully immerse yourself in your activity or task.
- Effective time management can also help you avoid overcommitting to too many tasks or deadlines. For example, think about when you're most alert and productive. Try to schedule these parts of your day for activities or tasks that would benefit from your attaining flow.
- You could also try taking regular breaks throughout the day. Resting and recharging can help prevent burnout and help you maintain the energy and concentration needed when you return to your activity or task.
- Take risks. Step outside of your normal routine to help you attain flow.
- Try getting out of your comfort zone and into unknown or uncertain situations. This can help you more fully engage with the present moment. Taking risks can involve going slightly beyond your current abilities. This can push you to fully concentrate and use your skills.
- Taking risks can also encourage you to approach situations from a different perspective and come up with solutions you might not have previously considered. Using your imagination and thinking "outside the box" can help when tackling challenges in your activity or task.
- Connect to your environment. Being in nature can get you away from many of the distractions present in more constructed environments.
- It’s well documented that spending time in nature can help reduce your stress and anxiety. The calming effect of nature can help you focus more on your activity or task.
- Feeling connected to the environment or the natural world can also help you feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
- Try taking a walk to immerse yourself in nature. Try and notice your body’s movements and the sensations you experience while out walking. Focusing on your body is a technique to help you develop conscious awareness of what you are experiencing in the present moment.
Bottom Line
Flow can help you realize a more fully engaged and happier life and contributes to your overall well-being. Flow plays a key role in helping you develop the skills to optimize your performance, learn, and be more creative.
