So what is this “Flow State”?

Popularized by positive psychologists Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Jeanne Nakamura - the “flow state” describes a feeling where, under the right conditions, you become fully immersed in whatever you are doing.

Csikszentmihalyi stated in a 2004 TED talk...

“There’s this focus that, once it becomes intense, leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity: you know exactly what you want to do from one moment to the other; you get immediate feedback,”

The flow state is like an interconnected web of all the facets of your highly conscious reality dissolving away into little micro dust and you become one with the "craft" of what you're doing in that singular moment.
Yay arts and crafts.

Why should I achieve it?

In the TED Talk, Csikszentmihalyi went on to share...

“The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times… the best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.”

In the busy world that we live in, many people find various ways to detach and distract from their lives with mindless activities which allow us to shut down from our minds and stressors like alcohol, TV shows and TikTok.

Flow State postulates that we can do this in a more positive and constructive way by engaging in activities that stretch us to our limits on things that fully engage us.

Flow allows us to experience a wonderous state where we are absent from all of the other distractions and diversions of life.

As I was researching flow, a wonderful quote from Jim Carrey sprung to mind which I feel really embodies the concept of flow…

"All we really yearn for is our own absence. We yearn for what happens at death"

Retrofitting this quote, we yearn for that state of being detached from ourselves and seek at times to connect to a state beyond our egos and the flabby meat sack that we’re consumed in.

Personally, I quite relate to this whole idea.

It’s the times when I've been lost in nature, in crisis in my work as a therapist, climbing a mountain or at jujitsu where a wonderful sense of selflessness envelopes me.

So how do I achieve flow?

Csikszentmihalyi outlined that in order to achieve the Flow State, you must combine a sufficiently engaging challenge with a strong enough ability to meet the task at hand.

Flow is basically created when we are stretched to our limits doing something that arouses our nervous system and piques our interest in conjunction with our self-declared ability to accomplish the undertaking.

Csikszentmihalyi’s model of the flow state can be seen below.

Tips to achieve the flow state.

Here’s a suggested process of how to induce the flow state.

Pick a challenging task you want to do.
Anything from water skiing, a tough essay, or writing a song, pick what your Soul calls you to do.
Block out a chunk of time.
Enough time for you to spend on the project - something like at least a few hours.
Don't track the time.
BUT YOU SAID BLOCK OUT A CHUNK OF TIME!
Yes. Then stop looking at it, the whole purpose is for you to lose track of time.
Set the scene.
Set the space up for success.
Put some inspiring music on, earplugs in, light some incense, do some stretches etc.
Put aside all distractions.
Throw your phone in the bin (or not), tell your mum you don’t want her cookies and focus on you!
Balance your energy levels.
If you're low, psych yourself up - do some star jumps, eat some energising food or have a cold shower.
If you’re high, bring yourself down - do some deep breathing, meditate, or drink some calming tea.
Have a clear goal in mind.
This will help you focus and know what you’re aiming at.
Use mental or physical cues.
You can help induce the state by triggering click your fingers and whisper "jelly sandwich" - trust me - it works - Tony Robbins - chest hit
Give it a f#!king go.
Pretty self-explanatory if you ask me ;)

Thanks for reading!

I hope you all enjoyed the article!

Before you go, I invite you to ask when have you achieved the flow state, and what was it like?
Also, is there anything you can do to help yourself achieve it?

Bonus & Additional Resources.

(1) Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, (2008) - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.

(2) TED Talk – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi – Flow – 2004.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_u-Eh3h7Mo

(3) What is a flow state and what are its benefits?
https://www.headspace.com/articles/flow-state

(4) The Psychology of Flow.
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-flow-2794768

How to Achieve “Flow State”.