What is Flow? It’s the state of mind when you’re deeply immersed in a task, losing touch with time and the outside world. Positive psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi is known as the 'father of flow' - he coined this term to refer to the psychological state of optimal performance. Developing the ability to be in flow is a vital skill and provides us with a profound sense of fulfilment.
Why it's important to find your flow
Csikszentmihalyi believes happiness and peak performance come from within. His research suggests that humans are unique in our ability to create environments that facilitate the state of flow. According to his research, here is what it feels like and why it's beneficial to be in a state of flow:
- You experience a sense of bliss that feels outside of reality
- You become creative and productive
- You feel happy and in control
- You experience flow as a reward, believing the process is the destination
- You're immersed in what you're doing, focused and concentrated
- You find clarity from your knowledge of the task and easily gather feedback from the environment to focus
- You are confident that you're able to accomplish the task
- Your energy is directed not lost on distractions, fears of failure or other concerns
- You transcend your ego and are present with the here-and-now
- Your sense of time falls from your awareness
"The best moments usually occur when a person's body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile. Optimal experience is thus something we make happen"
5 steps to find your flow
Imagine if you were able to cultivate flow on a daily basis, what would improve in your life? Here are five ways to find your flow and tap into your flow state daily.
1. Set the stage
Clear away distractions. Put down your phone, turn off the TV, close out of your chats. You will need a minimum of 15 minutes to enter a state of flow. Make sure you have sufficient time allocated to the task at hand. Show your goals and the state of consciousness you wish to enter some respect -- create an encouraging and focused environment. By setting the stage you can easily enter your flow state, especially if you are in tune with when your mind and body are ready to focus.
2. Get into the present moment
Bring your awareness to now. Connect to your body and breath. Allow the mind to remain focused on sensations and actions rather than being distracted by thoughts. As thoughts and feelings enter your mind, allow them to pass like clouds in the sky. Finding your flow means staying grounded and letting everything else fade. Much like a meditative state, here you are merely a witness to any passing emotions or thoughts that are not related to the task at hand.
3. Enjoy yourself
Losing yourself in flow is amazing. Celebrate that you are able to dedicate yourself to something meaningful, make progress on a project and do something you’re passionate about. Take time to appreciate this gift. Enjoy yourself and the process, take away any expectations and trust your abilities to become illuminated when entering flow state.
4. Set clear goals
Part of finding flow is being clear about you want to achieve. By setting benchmarks, accountability check-ins and envisioning a feeling of a successful end result may help guide the process, just remember not to be too rigid - flow is about being open. Adding a simple energetic goal of being fully present with the process may also help facilitate tapping into and finding your flow.
5. Keep practising
Yes, this also takes practice as does the process of finding your flow. From finding quiet time for yourself, clearing distractions, choosing the right task to keeping your focus on a task. Each time you succeed, you will learn from it — and remember what flow state feels like, creating a lasting memory in your mind to propel you into future flow states. Just like most skills, the more you practise, the better you’ll get.
Book a breathwork session for flow
Justine Janssen is a teacher of movement motivated to assist others to achieve their highest potential, body, heart and mind. She offers 1:1 breathwork sessions at True Woo and developed The Remedy - an in-person practice that draws on breathwork, somatics, sound, and journaling as a way to find a therapeutic connection and experience the balance within.
