In the Flow
Have you ever felt so absorbed in an activity that you lost track of time? In an article with Wired magazine, positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described a flow state by saying, “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” (Cherry, 20221). It’s important to point out that the experience of flow isn’t just limited to hobbies or creative pursuits. Certain types of work can also let you tap into a place of deep, restful concentration.
However you get there, being in the flow is a deeply restful, rejuvenative experience that can happen in a multitude of ways. Essentially, flow is a combination of the practices of meditation, or opening the mind, and focus, or training the mind on one thing in particular. It’s referred to in one article as “a very active, moving meditation” (Headspace, n.d.).
Many of the commonly associated activities with flow are painting, drawing, writing, dancing, biking, running, or playing certain sports like tennis. Think of the way your body and brain feel when in the presence of a gently bubbling creek. If you’ve never been in the presence of a gently bubbling creek, pull up a video on youtube of one and let it play for a few minutes. The effect is not exactly the same but is similar. Like a magnet, your attention is effortlessly drawn to the sounds and sights of the water as it streams over or around stones and sticks. You don’t have to try to pay attention to the creek, you just do. All of this is extremely calming to your body and has multiple health benefits.
Some of the benefits of being in the flow are the ability to better regulate your emotions, a greater sense of fulfillment and happiness, improved levels of performance, greater learning and skill development (in order to maintain the ability to experience being in the flow), and the presence of more creativity in your life (Cherry, 2022).
Csikszentmihalyi reached his conclusions regarding flow after interviewing a variety of
self-actualized, high-performing people that included among them mountain climbers, chess players, surgeons, and ballet dancers. According to the research, it’s an experience that can leave us feeling ecstatic, motivated, and fulfilled (Headspace, n.d.).
So what if you want to experience more flow state in your life? How exactly does a person go about getting in the flow? (I know, it’s a weird sounding question no matter how I say it) Csikszentmihalyi has a few pointers on that. His advice to help yourself get in the flow is to set clear goals, eliminate distractions, add an element of challenge, and choose to do something you enjoy (Cherry, 2022). Playing a game of chess in a quiet library is a good example. One thing is certain: we could all use more of these experiences in our lives!
References:
Cherry, K. (2022). What is a flow state? Very Well Mind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-flow-2794768.
What is a flow state and what are its benefits? (n.d.). Headspace. Retrieved from https://www.headspace.com/articles/flow-state.
Challenges/Points:
Being in a flow state is what can happen when your whole being is absorbed by an activity you enjoy without any distraction.
Being in the flow increases happiness, helps with emotional regulation, a sense of fulfillment, and improved levels of performance.
To bring more flow into your life, set clear goals, eliminate distractions, and add an element of challenge to something you already enjoy!
Questions:
Have you ever experienced what’s described in this article as being “in the flow”?
What activity brings you the most easily into the flow?
If there is one new thing you’d like to try that might let you get into the flow, what is it?
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