While in flow, you’re in control of whatever outcomes happen, rather than feeling carried away or impatient.įlow clearly can boost your productivity and performance, but there are deeper mental health benefits to the practice. With all of your attention devoted to one task, your brain tunes out other problems, worries, or even bodily sensations (like hunger, fatigue, or muscular pain). Though it sounds trippy or esoteric, a characteristic of flow state is feeling like your “existence is temporarily suspended,” Dr. Csikszentmihalyi told the New York Times. The result can be relaxing: “Flow occurs in that delicate zone between boredom and anxiety,” Dr. Whereas an overly complicated task might feel overwhelming or frustrating, in flow, you’re confident you can accomplish what’s being asked of you. …but can’t be too challengingįlow involves self-esteem and self-efficacy, which is the belief that you’re capable of executing a task. And if something seems too difficult, you can learn something new that will help you overcome it. Csikszentmihalyi wrote that flow state “acts as a magnet for learning new skills and increasing challenges.” In other words, if something is too easy, the way to get back to flow is by challenging yourself.
#THINGS LIKE FLOWSTATE FULL#
It’s a challenging task…įlow-inducing tasks are typically challenging enough that they require your full attention. The distinct thing about flow is that you can also develop intrinsic motivation for that very same task - meaning, you’re just doing it because it’s rewarding to you personally. There might be an external reason why you’re working on something, for example, your manager gave you an assignment or you need to meet a deadline for a freelance project. You’re doing something for the sake of doing it Of course, this can be a double-edged sword if you’re in flow you might need to actively set time boundaries so you don’t overwork yourself. For example, time might feel like it slows down or flies by because you’re solely thinking about what you’re working on. Losing track of time is a key feature of flow. It’s easy to see how this applies to coding: You’re constantly presented with feedback any time you run code, since it either works or it doesn’t. Csikszentmihalyi, getting feedback compels people to continue on with a task while in flow. Having a consistent source of feedback is another factor that keeps you in flow. When you’re in flow, it’s super clear what you want and need to do - almost like having an internal to-do list that just automatically keeps you going. Csikszentmihalyi said in a 2004 TED Talk.
Your goals and rewards are clear, and you receive feedbackįocusing intensely on one thing “leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity,” Dr. Getting rid of distractions - from Slack notifications to a messy desk - is one way to set yourself up for uninterrupted focus. Might sound like a no-brainer, but you need to be totally immersed in a task in order to reach flow. You’re completely concentrated on the task Here are the factors that, taken together, can lead to flow - you might already have many of them in place without realizing: 1.
Csikszentmihalyi’s research has shown that there are several conditions that line up and elicit flow. Flow state even shows up in an educational context, like when you’re learning a new programming language and reach an “aha moment” where things start to click.įlow state doesn’t just happen randomly. Maybe you’ve experienced this sensation in non-work scenarios, like playing a video game, designing a web page, or trying to master a guitar lick. Positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi was the first researcher to identify the concept of “flow state,” and he described it as “those times when things seem to go just right, when you feel alive and fully attentive to what you are doing.” Turns out, this common feeling is a psychological concept called “flow.”
#THINGS LIKE FLOWSTATE CODE#
Ever get so completely immersed in writing code that time slows down and you really find a groove? It’s invigorating, and can enable you to produce your best work or reach peak productivity.
0 kommentar(er)
