What Is A Flow State Of Mind… Importance And How to Achieve in Life

A Flow is simply defined as to move in a smooth and continuous way (like water), then what is flow state of mind… Flow is a state of mind in which a person becomes fully immersed in an activity.

Flow isn’t a new concept. “Go with the flow…” An athlete generally says, “I’m in the zone.” Zone and Flow are similar.

“The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost,”

Csíkszentmihályi said in an interview with Wired magazine.

Have you ever been completely and utterly immersed in a task? Maybe you’ve been doing something you love, like playing music or a certain sport, studying, reading a book before realizing that so much time has passed by? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you’ve likely been experiencing a state of Flow.

“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).

The experience of flow is universal and has been reported to occur across all classes, genders, ages, and cultures, and it can be experienced during many types of activities.

If you’ve ever heard someone describe a time when their performance excelled and they were “in the zone,” they were likely describing an experience of flow. Flow occurs when your skill level and the challenge at hand are equal.

The 8 Characteristics of Flow

1. Complete concentration on the task;
2. Clarity of goals and reward in mind and immediate feedback;
3. Transformation of time (speeding up/slowing down);
4. The experience is intrinsically rewarding;
5. Effortlessness and ease;
6. There is a balance between challenge and skills;
7. Actions and awareness are merged, losing self-conscious rumination;
8. There is a feeling of control over the task.

Why you should focus on the flow state?

The benefits of achieving a flow state

A 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.

Improved performance: Researchers have found that flow can enhance performance in a wide variety of areas including teaching, learning, athletics

More creativity: Flow states often take place during creative tasks, which can help inspire greater creative and artistic pursuits.

Learning and skill development: Because the act of achieving flow indicates a substantial mastery of a certain skill, people have to keep seeking new challenges and information in order to maintain this state.

Flow State = Happy State

This is one of the factors to achieve in case you are looking for your IKIGAI and leading a life full of happiness and fulfillment.

Really, it’s a state where hard work meets joy and meaning. 

“Find what you love doing, and you don’t have to work the rest of your life.”

 (Not my words but I don’t remember where I read. In case you know please mail/ comment)

Remember that “flow” activities are not interchangeable with “leisure” activities. For example, visiting with a friend is a healthy leisure activity, but does not induce flow. That’s because of a flow activity:

• Is useful and challenging, which makes it intrinsically rewarding
• Helps you progress toward a goal
• Provides feedback to help gauge the effectiveness of your efforts

And flow activities require some sort of action! Passive leisure activities won’t help you find your flow.

How to achieve the flow state

In brief if you have to achieve flow there are only 4 major points

• Choose something you enjoy
• Eliminate distractions
• Set clear goals
• Add an element of challenge

Let me elaborate more on how to create a flow state of mind in your work so you can enjoy your daily activities even more

1. Make Sure You’re Focused On The Right Tasks  It’s almost impossible to get into the flow state if you’re doing something you don’t like. Remember, you’re looking for experiences that are inherently enjoyable, meaningful, or satisfying. We all have to do unpleasant things in life. But there’s usually at least one part of working life that you can really enjoy. Can you carve out time to focus on that? 
2. Choose an important task. There’s work you love that’s easy and unimportant, and then there’s work you love that will make a long-term impact on your career and life. Choose the latter, as it will be a much better use of your time and Flow.
3. Make sure it’s challenging, but not too hard. If a task is too easy, you will be able to complete it without much thought or effort. A task should be challenging enough to require your full concentration. However, if it is too hard, you will find it difficult to lose yourself in it,
4. Find your quiet, peak time. These are two steps grouped into one. First, you’ll want to find a quiet time, or you’ll never be able to focus. For me, that’s mornings, before the hustle of everyday life builds to a dull roar. Read more about getting up early
5. Clear away distractions. Aside from finding a quiet time to work, you’ll want to clear away all other distractions. That means turning off distracting music (unless you find music that helps you focus) and clearing your digital environment
6. Find The Right Environment. Distraction is the enemy of flow. Being in a place conducive to creative thought and focus is critical for inducing a flow state of mind. Some have the fortune of a home office, or somewhere quiet to hide away when things get busy and loud.

more….

• Take Care Of Your Creative Health. Your ability to be creative, and achieve a lasting flow state, hinges upon your energy and health. It just won’t happen if you’re exhausted and overworked. We all know what the basics are, and as long as you do them properly, you’ll be healthy. 
• Learn to focus on that task for as long as possible. This takes practice. You need to start on your chosen task and keep your focus on it for as long as you can. At first, many people will have difficulty, if they’re used to constantly switching between tasks. But keep trying, and keep bringing your focus back to your task. You’ll get better.
• Enjoy yourself. Losing yourself in Flow is an amazing thing, in my experience. It feels great to be able to really pour yourself into something worthwhile, to make great progress on a project or important task, to do something you’re passionate about. Take the time to appreciate this feeling 
• Make sure you aren’t hungry and thirsty. Very Basic !!! Right still we miss out. Stay hydrated. Always keep a bottle by your side.
•  Don’t flow alone. Find your tribe. We are social animals and enjoy doing things most when we are a group. Flow benefits are heightened and also we are in that state for a longer time when we are doing in participation.
• Reap the rewards. Aside from the pleasure of getting into Flow, you’ll also be happier with your work overall. You’ll get important stuff done. You’ll complete stuff more often, rather than starting and stopping frequently. All of this is hugely satisfying and rewarding. Take the time to appreciate this, and to continue to practice it every day. 

“To be able to concentrate for a considerable time is essential to difficult achievement.” 

– Bertrand Russell

Now Do It

As flow state is one of the most productive and happiest states that we can be in, I encourage you to seek it as often as you can. However, getting into flow state is a delicate process and you won’t just master it by simply reading about it. It requires practice to easily enter it time and time again.

If you want help or any other information on how to do it. Or finding difficulty in finding your flow activity, You can connect with me.