How to Reach the Flow State
Losing track of time. A pure sense of fulfilment. Excitement to face challenges. Deep concentration. Serenity. These are all common sensations when experiencing flow. A concept named by the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who studied the connection between flow and happiness. The state of flow implies intrinsic motivation, thus, the person is fully engaged in an activity, and during the practice feels the happiest. In the words of the psychologist: "Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz."
There are activities in which I experience flow often: writing content, studying and learning, during brainstorming sessions, filming, having a deep and meaningful conversation, and most recently, playing the drums. The range is wide and there is no limit to the type of experiences in which you can be in flow. Still, 3 main steps can help you reach this state consciously, rather than randomly.
(A more detailed guide is available here.)
3 Steps to reach the Flow State:
Set clear goals — know what you will be practising at every moment;
Receive clear and immediate feedback — know if what you are doing is leading to the end goal, or not. Partially this is accomplished by having a clear goal, and the rest by having mechanisms and standards that guide your practice;
Balance your skill level with the level of the challenge of the task — not too easy, not too demanding.
Surely, if you are practising something you love, flow is more easily attainable. But what about experiencing flow in what is perceived as boring?
Mihaly suggests a simple yet powerful way of approaching mundane tasks with the intent of being fulfilled. Instead of rushing through and unconsciously getting them done, set goals for these maintenance activities. Perhaps perfectly ironing 3 pieces of clothes under 5 minutes, or listing 20 things you're grateful for when stuck in traffic. If you are conscious about the activities you are doing, you get to experience flow even in the banalest tasks of everyday life.
“Control of consciousness determines the quality of life.”