A tennis player wins her second straight set, feeling like she can predict her opponent's next move. A musician works to master a chord progression, unfazed by mistakes as he repeatedly plays the same four bars. A scientist fails to notice her morning alarm blare from the next room, having analyzed data through the night.
While each of these people is immersed in a different activity, requiring specific skills and knowledge sets, all three are experiencing what is known as flow— a unique mental state of effortless engagement. And while you may not be a scientist or professional athlete, anyone can find flow. This is a good thing, as those who more frequently experience flow report higher levels of positive emotions, creativity, and feelings of accomplishment. Further, research has linked it to increased productivity, enhanced learning, and academic achievement.
But what exactly is flow? And how can we find it in our daily lives?
Flow is more than just concentrating or paying attention. Psychologists go so far as to define flow as an altered state of consciousness with several defining features. First, those in flow tend to feel so effortlessly engaged in a task that time seems to fly by. They are not easily distracted. In contrast with cycles of procrastination, when it can feel impossible to start an activity, during flow it can feel difficult to stop. Flow also tends to diminish feelings of worry or self-judgment, in turn fostering creativity. And people report experiencing a sense of oneness with what they’re doing, allowing for peak performance. Further, brain imaging studies have shown that flow is accompanied by changes in neural activity, notably in regions that play a role in attention, self-awareness, and self-consciousness.
Despite decades of research, many questions still remain. How do the brains of those in flow compare to those in other states of consciousness, like meditation? Does flow arising from physical activities like sports recruit the same brain areas as more mental tasks like writing or math?
And scientists are still working to understand why certain activities are more likely to elicit flow than others. While we don't know for sure, there are several theories.
For example, people more often report finding flow when doing things they find intrinsically motivating, meaning activities they find purpose, meaning, or enjoyment in. This may include participating in a favorite hobby, but also tackling gratifying assignments at work, studying topics you find interesting, or even completing satisfying chores. Likewise, it may be more difficult to find flow in tasks you do only because you have to, not because you want to.
Other research suggests balancing personal skill level with the activity’s challenge is key for finding flow. In other words, if a task is too easy, you may get distracted or feel bored. If it’s too challenging, you may become discouraged. The classically mesmerizing game of Tetris, for example, keeps skill-challenge levels in balance by increasing the fall speed of blocks as players get better at the game.
Still, other studies suggest that it’s most important that activities have clear goals and allow you to assess your progress along the way. For example, practicing a song allows you to gauge your performance with each note. This also may be why people find flow when playing games of chance, even though those games don't require skill. Moment-to-moment feedback may be enough to motivate deep engagement.
While no single protocol can guarantee flow, there are steps you can take to increase your chances. Find a quiet environment free from distracting noises or devices. Break your tasks into small, specific segments that are easy to track and learn from. Set clear end goals that are challenging but not frustratingly so. If you find the task to be tedious, set additional parameters to up the stakes. For example, when cleaning your dishes, attempt to finish them all in a certain amount of time. When running, try to keep pace with the beat of a song.
Most importantly, and perhaps most frustratingly, don't focus too much on reaching flow. That sort of distraction might just prevent you from finding it.
