![]() Others may need to think all the way back to their childhood to remember a time when they felt this sense of timelessness. When was the last time you were so engaged in an activity that time flew by and the world around you seemed to stop for a moment? For some of us, this has happened on a long run, or during a focused session of work. Achieving flow state - or an optimal state of consciousness - may be just the ticket we all need to mentally thrive during this challenging time. 1 There has arguably never been a more important time to take charge of your mental health. While it’s too soon to see the long-term effects the COVID-19 pandemic is having on our mental health, according to the World Health Organization, we do know that people all over the world are experiencing a significant increase in stress, worry, and fear. ![]() The extreme ends of the spectrum (either too much sympathetic activity or too much parasympathetic activity) were detrimental to both flow and performance.The world is chaotic. The researchers found that there was an optimal arousal level for both flow experience and task performance. Next week we’ll dive deeper into how to train your mind to get into flow more often and more easily!Ī recent study looked at the effects of different arousal levels (as measured by heart rate variability) on self-reported experience of flow and performance on an executive task. It can lead to being more creative, accomplishing more with less effort, building a sense of control, and becoming happier and healthier. Being in a flow state is powerful for your mental health and your mental performance. However, once you have practiced deliberately entering flow a few times in different scenarios, it will become easier to replicate.įlow is when we are energized, motivated, focused, happy, and able to perform at our best. This process takes practice, so if you aren’t able to enter flow right away, that’s normal. What physical resources do you need (a particular space and any support materials)? What actions and thoughts will move you closer to flow? The key is to build a picture of your ideal performance state so that you can trigger that state by acting like you did when you were in it. Use Steps 1 and 2 to build a process that will get you into flow. deep breaths, meditation)? What mindset did you have? What were your emotions?ģ. jump around, listen to music), or bring your activation state down (e.g. Did you need to increase activation (e.g. By remembering what past flow experiences felt like, you can re-create the environment to enter into your flow state more often. Look back on step 1 and try to recall exactly what you were doing (body), thinking (mind), and feeling (emotions) before and during your flow performance. A sporting race/event, a time you were so absorbed in your work you lost track of time, a deep conversation with someone, etc.Ģ. Try to think of a few examples so that you have a process for entering into flow for different types of activities. Think of a time when you achieved something great and were full of energy, while also feeling a sense of timelessness. Here are some steps you can use to get into flow more often.ġ. sometimes they might have to jump around to get themselves psyched up, others might need to go through deep breathing to calm their nerves).īy using techniques elite performers use, we can develop a deliberate process for fully immersing ourselves in any activity we wish. ![]() If you’ve ever seen elite performers before they go on to a game, a race, a performance, or a speech - they all have specific routines that they go through (e.g. If you can learn to get into the “sweet spot” between low and high activation, in which you aren’t too bored or lethargic, but also not too stressed or anxious, you can learn to enter into flow. ![]() However, somewhere between these two activation states lies the ideal performance state where we are most likely to enter flow. When our activation is too high, we are agitated, anxious, stressed, or tense. When our activation is too low, we lack motivation, interest, and energy. Yerkes and John Dillingham Dodson in 1908. The ideal performance state was first described by psychologists Robert M. To enter into flow, you need to be in the “ideal performance state”. So how do we get to this elusive state? It all comes down to creating the right environment for that to happen. But this flow state is something you can learn to control. Unfortunately, these moments are rare and seem random. In fact, everyone can identify with flow moments - whether it’s being completely absorbed in a task, having a spark of creativity, or just having a really engaging conversation. All high performers know how to get into a state of flow in order to perform at their best - from musicians to artists to actors to public speakers. However, flow states aren’t just reserved for athletes. Flow is often associated with athletes being “in the zone”.
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