All About The State Of Flow: Definition, Health Effects, And How To Get Into The Zone

While some research suggests that personality and other factors beyond your control contribute to flow, experts say there are things you can do if you want more flow in your life.

Reduce distractions

"Flow is a state of deep concentration, so the first thing you need to do to achieve flow is to eliminate distractions," says Torey Higgins, Ph.D., a leading performance coach in Austin, Texas. The Gardnerville Flow Research Group operates here. , Nevada. She says it's important to keep an eye on digital (like notifications on your phone) and physical (like a cup of coffee) distractions. She explains that often you have to go through an initial phase of struggle to get into flow. Distraction interrupts this process. "If you're constantly distracted and distracted, you'll never be in flow," says Dr. Higgins.

Set clear goals and outcomes

"If you stop and ask yourself what to do next and if you're on the right track, you'll have a hard time staying in the flow," says Higgins. Instead, take the time to set clear goals and outcomes—two elements of flow suggested by Csikszentmihalyi. "It really allows you to get into the work and get into pure execution mode," she says.

Find a balance between challenges and skills

"Look at the limits of your abilities to find flow," advises Higgins. If a task is too easy, you may get bored, and if a task is too difficult, you may become stressed. There is a river between them. "This is progress," she says. Giving more or less time to complete tasks can be a good way to adjust the level of difficulty, she says.

look out

"If you want more flow in your life, you can work with the flow you have," says Sweeney. Once you realize that the things you encounter when gardening, baking, or organizing your closet are not sustainable, you can try to recreate these situations and actively seek them out.

"We have a natural ability to find a flow state," she says.

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