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You hear people talk about working in a “flow state,” but what does that even mean? before you start thinking of it as one of those corporate jargon phrases that gets tossed around so much it loses any meaning it ever had, it’s worth knowing that it’s a “real” thing, backed up by a whole lot of psychological research. In essence, being in a flow state enables you to work more efficiently and effectively at whatever you’re focused on.
What is flow theory?
Psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi came up with this theory in 1970, suggesting a flow state is similar to when someone is floating along, being carried by water: Their brains are working so efficiently they’re moving straight ahead on a task with no issues, almost as if they are being propelled forward.
He spent his time interviewing artists and athletes at the top of their game to understand when and how they performed optimally—and how everyday people can tap into a “flow” state, too. He wrote several books on the topic, but for our purposes here, you don’t need to ingest all of them. What’s most important is to understand the eight main traits of flow theory.
The basics of flow theory
Csíkszentmihályi’s work ultimately describes eight clear characteristics of being in flow:
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You’re completely concentrated on your task.
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You have clarity around goals in your mind and can get immediate feedback.
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Time feels like it’s transforming, either speeding up or slowing down.
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The work is intrinsically rewarding.
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There is a sense of effortlessness or ease.
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The work is challenging, but you have the skills for it.
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You are not self-conscious; actions and awareness are working together.
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You feel you have control over the task.
This may remind you of the concept of “deep work,” which is author/professor Cal Newport’s definition of doing demanding tasks when you’re fully engrossed in them and not distracted. The two concepts are similar, but to achieve either, there are a few things you need to do. It’s clear from the list of flow characteristics above that mastery and resources play a big role in whether you’ll feel you’re in a flow state when you’re working. Obviously you’ll likely only hit this state if you’re doing something you’re completely prepared for, so don’t aim for it if you’re going to be doing something that requires contributions from other people, resources you don’t have, or skills you don’t possess. You can be ripped from it quickly if, say, you’re waiting around for a colleague to email you something you need for the project, which can destabilize your whole day. (For a better understanding of that, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the difference between downtime and idle time.)
When you are trying to hit a flow state, plan around when you need to do a major, demanding task. For instance, when planning your 1-3-5 to-do list for the day, your one big task should be one you’re fully prepared and have all the resources for. Keep Carlson’s Law—the idea that any work you attempt to do while distracted will be suboptimal—in mind, too; you can’t work, let alone flow, if you’re being pulled in multiple directions, so schedule the time you’re going to take on your big task to coincide with a time when you have nothing else going on and can give it your full attention. Use timeboxing to allocate this time in your schedule, minute by minute, and, if you can, make your calendar publicly visible so people in your organization know you’re not available.
When I explored adopting this mindset in my own life, I found that my biggest blocker was dealing with distractions, especially from my phone (no surprise there). Almost counterintuitively, I found two apps to be helpful: Steppin, which blocks my access to distracting apps unless I trade time I’ve banked by walking around in the real world; and Focus Pomo, which blocks all other apps whenever I’m in a “focus session.”
So, if you’re working hard on something but don’t feel like you’re achieving any kind of flow state, refer back to the list of characteristics to see what’s missing. Are you distracted? Do you not have the option to get immediate feedback? Are you lacking a necessary resource? Is the work too challenging for your skills or maybe even not challenging enough to keep your attention? Identifying which characteristic you’re lacking most will help you fix the problem and get you closer to flowing your way to major productivity.
