How to get into the flow state

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The flow state is characterized by deep concentration, a sense of lightness, joy and self-confidence. You dive deeply into what you are doing and lose track of time. Sounds familiar?

"Flow" is the peak state of a person when he is focused on one thing and is completely immersed in it. Some people call this state of peak performance.

You've probably already been in a state of flux by playing your favorite game, coding, browsing the web, playing an instrument, or discussing your favorite topic.

Below are the methods to help you get into the flow state. I used them more than once when I felt that I was working unproductively.

Advantages

The flow state has several advantages, and here they are:

1. You become very productive and get more done in less time.
2. You are focused on one task (which is not so easy these days).
3. You feel great - happy, calm and confident.

Stimulation

The secret to getting into the flow state is to get the right amount of stimuli for the chosen task. Incentives can be internal or external. The number of incentives needed depends on the person and on the task they choose.

With a low number of stimuli, you feel apathy, fatigue, boredom, and lack of motivation. When there are too many stimuli, you become impatient, nervous, irritable and agitated. Either way, you will not perform better and will likely lose focus.

When you are in a state of flow, you feel calm, confident, and motivated. You work as efficiently as possible and do it effortlessly.

Unfortunately, most people hesitate between extreme states (lack of stimuli and excessive amounts of stimuli) during the day.

You need to be attentive to your body, thoughts and feelings in order to see what state you are in and act in accordance with the situation.

The following guide will guide you back into the flow state.

How to get into a flow state if you are nervous (excessive stimulus)

Signs of hyperstimulation:

• You are easily annoyed by people, interruptions, noises and failures (for example, when I am in this state, I often get angry at websites and computer programs)
• You feel overwhelmed and don't know how to deal with the situation.
• There are a lot of thoughts going through your head.
• Your heart is beating faster and harder than usual (this is adrenaline).
• You take quick, shallow breaths.

In such a situation, you can use any of the steps below to reduce anxiety and get into a flow state:

1. Take a short break: Sometimes 10 minutes of sleep or a walk in the fresh air is enough to "reset" your condition and reduce stress.
2. Start breathing slowly, deeply: inhale for a few seconds, then exhale slowly, in which you need to press your tongue against your teeth, producing a hissing sound (like a snake hiss). Repeat several times.
3. Divide the task into sub-tasks: You may unconsciously worry about the task. Divide it into several sub-tasks or a series of steps to reduce anxiety.
4. Clear your head of unnecessary information: your brain is probably loaded with a lot of problems and thoughts about work, family, shopping, finances, and so on. Grab a pen and dump everything onto a piece of paper so your brain can focus on one task.
5. Take a shower: A good shower will relax your muscles and your mind.
6. Think about what relaxes you: the seashore, memories of a loved one, or a vacation.

How to get into a flow state if you have apathy (low stimulus)

Signs of a lack of incentives:

• You feel bored even though you have things to do.
• You feel sleepy and tired.
• You are indifferent, you have low motivation and you feel depressed.
• You are drawn to sweet or savory.

If you are in this position, then the following steps will help you get into the state of flow:

1. Make it difficult for yourself: if the task is too simple and boring, you can simply lose interest in it.
2. Move: take a walk, run, jump, dance, make your body move.
3. Have a snack or drink (not alcohol in this case), making sure not to consume a lot of sugar.
4. The right balance of pain and pleasure: ask yourself how you feel if you fail to complete a task, and how pleased you will be if you complete it.
5. Turn the music up loud: anything that will charge you with optimism and motivation. Use headphones for more effect.
6. Turn on multitasking for a short time: of course, multitasking is not efficient, but it is better than not performing tasks. Turn on multitasking mode for 5-15 minutes until you feel motivated again. Chat with friends, turn on the TV and make a call. You will cheer up a little. But by no means make it a habit.

Summary

I hope you enjoyed the guide and will find it useful in your life. Here's how to apply it:

1. The next time you feel that you are not being productive, use the guidance above to determine if you are overstimulated or lacking in stimulation.
2. Then use one of the methods above to return to the thread state.
3. Use the above methods in moderation, otherwise they will lead you to extreme conditions. Keep in mind that you need to get the right amount of stimulus, not too much and not too little.

Learning how to quickly return to flow and making it kind of a habit will definitely make you a happier, more productive, and more confident person.

What methods help you?