Guided by this realization, she said at her next group meeting at work: “I need to listen to each and every one of you.” By doing so, she was able to get into her flow state and she was able to take in everyone’s feedback. Working together, they determined that she got into the flow state when she had quality one-on-one time with other people and was able to speak and listen deeply. His flow state involved not only cycling, but being engaged in a group dynamic.Īnother example: Allen worked with the chief operating officer of a healthcare institution - she was very quiet and had received feedback that she lacked leadership qualities. But his internal emotions went deeper: he wanted to support his teammates and create synergy among them. Physically, he was outside and exercising. Are you engaged in acts of service? Sharing? Creating a sense of unity or community? Are you problem solving? Immersed in deep focus or deep listening?Īllen worked with one client who found his flow state whenever he was racing bicycles. In addition, think about what you’re doing mentally. Perhaps you’re on stage, writing or gardening. Distinguish what you’re physically doing when you lose all sense of time or have a sense of ease. Then, when you are in a state of flow, broaden your awareness: Notice and remember the activities surrounding you. For the next two weeks, Allen suggests, observe yourself, notice what you’re doing, and look for the key indicators of flow: losing your sense of time or self, feeling that you’re acting with ease, gaining new insights, and having a positive feedback loop. Allen recommends recreating the memories of when you were in flow state and examining them.įirst, you must observe yourself. Once you know when you’ve experienced that effortless feeling, you can determine how you got there. ![]() Learn how to get into it by working backwards “The actual flow state is when you’re somehow active,” says Allen, pointing to activities like playing the violin, writing, playing tennis, or leading a meeting. Those are passive activities, and something outside of you, like the book or the game, is captivating you. You may feel like you’re in the flow state during activities - like reading a book, binge-watching TV, or playing video games - because you lose all sense of time but they’re not the flow state, says Allen. The more engaged you are with a task, the more positive feedback you receive, which encourages you to keep going. It might even come in the moments when you have new ideas and insights, and “you put things together in ways you’d never put them together before,” says Allen.įlow state often features a positive feedback loop. Ask yourself: When have hours passed by without your realizing it? Perhaps you were so engrossed with painting that you didn’t hear your phone, or you were working on a PowerPoint presentation so intently that you didn’t notice the sunset.Īnother indicator of flow state is having a sense of ease, when things feel like they just click into place. One of the key indicators of being in flow state is losing a sense of time. Many people have experienced flow state without knowing that’s what it was. Identify when you’re naturally in your flow state Here’s how to gain awareness of your flow state and what you can do to tap into it more often. “When you get that high or euphoria, it’s liberating,” she adds, and finding her flow state onstage as a musician helped her overcome shyness and performance anxiety offstage.įlow is simply that optimal state of mind in which we feel and perform our best, and it doesn’t have to be mysterious or elusive. But “flow state is something that happens to all of us,” says Allen - it’s not just for creatives, academics or athletes. ![]() ![]() When you hear “flow” you might think of musicians, athletes, yoga practitioners or scientists in the lab. ![]() Finding your flow state can guide your career, relationships, and even your hobbies. Yes, you can experience the benefits that come with it more often, including being self-motivated, more productive, and more empowered, according to violinist and keynote speaker Diane Allen, who’s become an expert at helping people find their flow state. The good news is that we don’t have to wait for a flow state to happen - we can take steps that can allow us to access it. And it’s something we’ve all experienced before. That’s your flow state, something that psychology researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, from Claremont Graduate University in California, identified. When was the last time you felt fully engaged in a task and the hours just melted away?
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