Let Magic Flow - Breaking Down “Flow State”
Author: Julianna Cooper, Challenge America Program Coordinator
Have you ever felt blissfully “lost” in a project? Perhaps working on a new painting, writing a song or composing a piece of music, or playing a sport you love?
If you’ve experienced this feeling, you might have been in what researchers call a “flow state” - defined as “a unique mental state of effortless engagement,” essentially a feeling where you are fully immersed in whatever you are doing.
Flow state was popularized by positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. In his popular 2004 Ted Talk, Mihaly further describes flow, stating:
“There’s this focus that, once it becomes intense, leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity: you know exactly what you want to do from one moment to the other; you get immediate feedback.”
Research supports the theory of flow state, with those who frequently experience flow reporting higher levels of positive emotions, creativity, and feelings of accomplishment. Further investigation has linked flow state to increased productivity, and enhanced learning.
How do you know if you’re in a flow state?
Here are a few characteristics of flow:
Time seems to fly by
You are not easily distracted
It is difficult to stop working on whatever it is you are immersed in
Feelings of worry and self-criticism are diminished
You might be asking yourself “how do I find and enter a flow state?”
Flow seems to be linked with projects for which you have intrinsic motivation - a real interest in the task at hand or a true enjoyment of the work - i.e., it may be more difficult to find flow in tasks you “have” to do. Additionally, the work needs to strike a balance between skill and challenge: difficult enough that you are not bored, but not so difficult that you become frustrated.
Here are some practical tips for finding a flow state:
Work in a quiet environment that is free from distractions
Break your tasks down into small, specific segments
Establish clear end goals that are challenging, but not frustrating
If task is tedious, set additional parameters to “up the stakes” - an example of this could be attempting to wash the dishes within a certain amount of time, or running along to the beat of a song
Lastly, don’t focus too much on “reaching flow,” as this constant worry might just prevent you from being able to focus on the task at hand. You may be surprised that the less you worry about it, the easier it is to simply flow!
If you’re interested in learning more about flow state, this Ted-Education video is a concise, helpful breakdown! Additionally, this article from Headspace is a fantastic resource with practical tips for achieving flow state. Happy learning, CAVARTists!
