Have you ever felt so focused on task at hand so much that you blocked out everything around you to complete the feat ? Have you ever locked in during a basketball game and knocked down every shot without even thinking about it ? No tiredness, no hunger, no feeling of weakness. If you’ve experienced this then theres a high chance that you entered the infamous flow state.
What is flow state ?
Flow state is a state of focus In which you are all in on the task at hand, kind of like you’re on adderall or ecstasy. In flow state things like tiredness, pain, hungriness, and inhibition are all non existent. Flow state is common in people like chess players, mountain climbers, surgeons, and ballet dancers. Obviously high performing activities can put your mind into flow state. All the extra noise in your mind is blocked out which leads you to be non distracted and fully present in the task at hand. Flow state usually come in non relaxation states, they more so happen when you are pushing your limits mentally, physically, or both in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult. Most of the time as well it needs to be something that you are very passionate about in ethic it will give you a drive itself. We reach flow states on a smaller scale all the time, this is how we compete everyday task, goals we set, going to the gym, etc. Flow state comes when you can maintain this state of focus for prolonged periods of time. The key is being present, whilst the mind is present your thoughts aren’t wondering and all the focus is on the task at hand. Something that can help with this is mediation. During the practice of meditation we focus on our breath and let our thoughts past to calm our mind and become preset. One who meditates daily has a higher chance of reaching and staying in flow state for prolonged periods of time because they have trained their mind to be present. This will help us be able to reach long term goals without being side tracked or distracted.
Benefits of flow state
- Heavy sense of concentration – Being able to focus on the work without getting distracted leads to a higher output of higher quality work
- Sense of clarity – In a state of flow, your body and mind will know what needs to be done without having to think about it
- Lack of obstacles – The thoughts and feelings that generally cloud our minds, such as stress, worry, and self-doubt, take a back seat when we achieve a flow state
- Good feelings – Being in a deep flow state is often described as an intrinsically positive experience. There is no superficiality driving this force, it’s just the pleasure that comes with being in the moment and doing something that you are passionate about.
- Happiness – The type of happiness one can gain from being in a flow state goes beyond a temporary high — it is a general sense of well-being and a lasting sense of happiness and fulfillment.
How to enter flow state
1. You need to care about the task at hand
2. The activity, job or task cannot be too easy or too difficult
3. Optimally, the activity should be something that you are good at.
4. Your mindset surrounding the task should be focused on the journey, not the destination. You could be an athlete focusing on the game instead of the medal, or a mountain climber focusing on the climb instead of the top view.
Whatever your passion, think about the intrinsic factors motivating you as you tackle your task. Couple this with no interruptions, and a flow state should follow as a natural consequence of these conditions aligning.
Here are some additional things you can do to encourage your body and mind to enter a state of flow :
- Do something you love. It goes without saying, but this is the easiest way to get into a flow state. Doing something you love can satisfy your mind’s craving for something that’s challenging but doable and something that you’re good at.
- Create a ritual. As you gear up for activities that will require you to enter a state of concentration, create a series of actions that you do every single time you’re about to begin your task. This could be a meditation, a short walk, or a pot of tea. No matter your activity, it will let your brain know what’s about to begin and that you are coaxing it to be ready.
- Choose your most important task. Achieving a flow state is best accomplished while focusing on one major task that requires a significant portion of brain power. Multitasking would create a web of distractions that make it impossible to achieve flow state.
- Identify your peak creative and productive times. Identify the times where your mind most naturally functions at full speed. For many people, the morning after a good night’s sleep is the most productive. Focusing on the day’s main task during these times will make flow state a more achievable goal.
- Eliminate distractions. Focus on creating a peaceful environment with minimal distractions around you. Store your phone away and put it on “do not disturb.” If you are working on a laptop, maybe try a website blocker. You know best the types of things that disturb you most often. Try minimizing as many of them as possible.