Dr. Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi, Ph.D, one of the most distinguished psychologists of the modern world, coined the term “flow state” in his 90s book. He defined this as the “optimal state of consciousness where we feel our best and perform our best” and “being completely involved in an activity for its own sake.” [1]
In everyday life, flow state happens when you form a new idea in the shower, go deep into an Excel spreadsheet, brainstorm with your colleagues, play a musical instrument, ride a bike or play a competitive game or sport.
Achieving flow state not just brings out your most productive and creative self. According to Dr. Csíkszentmihályi, entering the state also makes you a happier person. In fact, the whole idea of flow comes from a research about what makes people happy, and when they are at their happiest.
It turns out entering into flow state is a major part of happiness as it is a very enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Based on interviews done by Dr. Csíkszentmihályi and his team, flow state is characterized by the following: [1]
Of course entering flow state doesn’t mean experiencing the above all at once. But these are the most common emotions, responses and feelings linked to flow.
If you’re wondering whether getting immersed in a Netflix binge or reading a book is considered flow state, then the answer is no.
Entering a flow state requires active participation in the activity and being fully involved in overcoming challenges, as what Csíkszentmihályi would explain.
“If challenges are too low, one gets back to flow by increasing them. If challenges are too great, one can return to the flow state by learning new skills.”
In his TED.com talk, he described the sweet spot between skill and challenge for it to be called a flow state. [2] As you will see in the graph below, the horizontal axis x refers to the how challenging the task is, while the vertical axis y refers to the skill required to overcome the challenge. [3]
Flow state is the point where the difficulty level of the activity is high, as well as the skill required to complete it (refer to the yellow portion). This illustrates the high involvement required in an activity for it to be called a flow state. [4]
If you’re like me who wants to constantly chase the flow state in this increasingly distracting modern world, then here are some tips to achieve it:
If you find yourself compulsively checking your phone for social media, then it’s best to go on airplane mode. Each time you look away from the job at hand and do something else, the farther you get from flow. Plus it takes an average of 25 minutes to regain focus on a certain job. [5]
So set up your environment well, whether that means putting your phone in another room or getting some peace and quiet, away from the chatter. Play music or white noise that stimulates your thinking. But if you find yourself working more productively in a quiet environment, then by all means find a nice spot devoid of noise.
Find the best time for you to work. I usually find that I am able to enter the flow state more either at the start or end of the day. When it’s in between, distractions are all around. Except when there’s a tight deadline, reaching a flow state is tricky when people could easily call you during work hours or meetings are scheduled in between. But everyone is different – observe your own work style and see what’s working for you.
Unblock your mind from distractions and stress to give way to flow. Find ways to manage stress and go into mindfulness exercises. Even a 5-minute meditation to start with should help you reach flow state. I also find journaling incredibly helpful as it helps me break down everyday situations and find meaning to them. Even things that were unpleasant as they happen could evolve into a positive learning experience when I look back to them and try to understand it from a better angle. By eliminating internal blocks, you are also able to practice how you can control your thoughts.
It’s hard to focus when there are too many things going on. To satisfy most of the 9 qualities of flow state above, avoid switching from one task to another. Concentrate on one very specific task. If you’re trying to write, then this would mean going offline and just having a writing application like Word (or even a notebook) in front of you. Maybe get rid of multiple tabs and settle on just one browser. Dive deep into your Excel spreadsheet and avoid checking emails in between. If you’re at work, exit your email until you finish your PowerPoint presentation.
Time-blocking also works so well for me. It means setting one task for a block of time and putting tiny breaks in between tasks. And when I do my time-block, I also group similar activities together. Mornings are for writing, afternoons for meeting or Zoom calls. This allows my brain to focus on one set of activity and avoid transitioning from doing left-brain to right-brain jobs a lot.
If you’re a coffee-drinker, then drink coffee at the optimal time of the day. Usually this is NOT first thing in the morning (and this is why) but during your cortisol dips.
Cortisol is the hormone that makes us feel alert and awake. When we wake up, cortisol production is at its peak. This is usually around 8-9 am. And this is why we shouldn’t be taking coffee when cortisol levels are high. By injecting caffeine into our system at peak cortisol levels, it diminishes the alertness brought about by coffee. So aside from being counter-productive, it only increases our bodies’ caffeine tolerance.
To get the most bang for cup, drink coffee at 9:30-11:30 and 1:30 and 5:00, when cortisol levels are down. This way you’re inducing flow state by allowing your body to be more alert when it’s meant to be asking you for a nap.
[1] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/flow-state-what-it-is-and_b_9607084
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXIeFJCqsPs
[4] https://daringtolivefully.com/how-to-enter-the-flow-state
[5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749597809000399
Women nearing their mid-40s are most likely aware of one imminent thing: menopause. Some have a tough time because of symptoms (read: hot flushes, heavier or lighter period, mood swings).
But while these symptoms may sound unpleasant, good news is that they’re highly treatable through medications, therapies, home remedies, and lifestyle changes.
It’s key to prioritize sleep and make sure that you’re clocking enough hours. Sleeplessness has adverse effects that could impact your everyday life and long-term wellness (more of this later), so it’s key to understand the important role sleep plays in your general health.
If you’re constantly feeling exhausted lately, know that there are many different possible reasons why. Maybe it’s the whole work-from-home arrangement and coping with the pandemic thing. Perhaps there’s too much on your plate. Or it could be the stress of the holiday season and how to celebrate it differently this year.
Or maybe it’s 2020, ‘nuff said.
But if you find yourself just feeling tired – physically and mentally – most of the day, then maybe it’s time to have a closer look and see if any of the below reasons apply to you.
Tina Sendin
Author