Flow State

Imagine scaling a 3200 foot rock in the middle of Yosemite National Park…. with no rope! I recently saw climber Alex Honnold do just that in the National Geographic documentary film Free Solo.  The movie documents his journey to scale the El Capitan rock formation with no ropes and no assistance. I was captivated from the start.  It was truly an exhilarating experience. As I watched Alex do the climb, I could palpate his flow state; that feeling you get when you are completely absorbed in what you are doing and time seems to stand still. I was in awe.

Flow state is something I learned about from Harvard University professor and meditation expert, Dr. Dan Brown, during a meditation conference I attended.  Dr. Brown explained how flow state contributes to peak performance. I also came across it in my recent course on the practices and science of happiness.  After watching Free Solo, the concept of flow state was powerfully clear.

Flow State: What Is It?

So what exactly is flow state?  It is a term developed by researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi during his research on productivity and creativity. It refers to a state in which one is wholly engaged in an activity, that nothing else seems to matter.  Time stands still.  Distractions go unnoticed. There is total focus. It's where you go from “trying” to do something to just doing. You lose yourself in the activity. Kids feel it often when playing. (Yes, that is why they, sometimes, don’t answer when you call!) Elite performers and athletes experience it often and so do surgeons and other professionals. In fact, anyone can experience flow!

Why Bother With Flow:

Ok, so you may be wondering: “why bother with flow?” After all, you are not planning on “free solo-ing” any time soon! Csikszentmihalyi has written that “the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.”  In other words, it brings us sheer joy!  Flow is associated with feelings of fulfillment and exhilaration.  Research connects flow state to peak performance (even in the workplace). It also boosts happiness, productivity and creativity. In schools, flow is linked to better grades. As Dr. Brown explained, flow is a significant component of mastery.

How Do You Cultivate flow? 

Researchers have shown that flow state requires some key aspects to fall into place.  If one end of the spectrum is boredom and the other is frazzle and overwhelm then flow is the sweet spot. To have flow you need:

• Skills to match the challenge or task

• Clear goals that are intrinsically motivated

• Immediate feedback on how close you are to the goal

• Complete concentration and mindfulness so that you are focussed, and not easily distracted nor reactive

In other words,  there is no multitasking! (Yet another reason not to multitask! 😉) The idea is to allow yourself to focus on one activity and get completely absorbed. Establish a clear goal of what you want to accomplish. Then concentration on that task so that you are not worrying about potential problems or caught up in distractions. Any activity that builds your concentration and mindfulness muscles will benefit you here! It’s about being in the present moment and experiencing what is happening right then. Flow can be experienced anywhere: a good conversation, reading a great book, going for a bike ride and even at work. 

Check out Alex’s Ted talk

If you have not seen Free Solo, I highly recommend it!

Know someone who could use a bit of stress relief?  Share this post and spread some joy!

Disclaimer: The content in this blog is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog or on this website.