Remember To Dream, Vol. 14
“If I'm going to sing like someone else, then I don't need to sing at all.” - Billie Holiday
Get In The Flow
We’ve all experienced it at some point.
That feeling you get when you’re so immersed in something that time loses all meaning and the world melts around us.
When we’re so absorbed with the present moment that our minds feel empty, thoughtless, free of doubts and distractions.
It can happen during an intense workout or when you’re playing a competitive sport. It can happen when you’re painting, programming, or writing. It can even happen when you’re cleaning the house or doing the dishes.
Your brain goes on autopilot. You become laser focused on the task at hand. You notice every detail. It feels so natural. Your actions feel so precise.
This is what it’s like to be in the moment. To be present and invested in the now.
That feeling is called flow.
It’s the closest thing to euphoria that we can experience as human beings. And it’s universal, available to everyone, no matter our age, income, or ethnicity.
When we’re in flow, we’re happy. We’re more confident and productive. We’re physically and emotionally relaxed. It’s an experience that offers us many benefits.
But, across the board, we don’t get into flow often enough. And we’re missing a trick, because it’s the lowest hanging fruit we have towards a better quality of life.
What is Flow?
The concept of flow was first popularized by a psychologist named Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. He described it as “being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.”
Csikszentmihalyi first discovered the phenomenon during the 1960s, when he and another positive psychology researcher, Jacob Getzels, were studying the creative process.
While watching an artist paint, Csikszentmihalyi became intrigued by their single-minded, unique focus and persistence to continue despite any tiredness or hunger.
As he described it: “There’s this focus that, once it becomes intense, leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity: you know exactly what you want to do from one moment to the other; you get immediate feedback.”
Flow is defined as a positive mental state of being completely absorbed in - and deriving pleasure from - what you are doing at a certain point in time.
As one of the artists explained: “My mind isn’t wandering. I am not thinking of something else. I am totally involved in what I am doing. My body feels good. I don’t seem to hear anything. The world seems to be cut off from me. I am less aware of myself and my problems.”
It’s the Journey, not the Destination
Flow encourages us to enjoy the moment and the process. We are less concerned with the outcome and simply immersed in the task at hand for its own sake.
This can be liberating. It is also a more effective way to learn and grow, because it allows us to focus only on improving our performance.
By deriving enjoyment from the performance of the task, rather than the outcome, we are more encouraged to repeat the task. Our reward is the task itself, which is entirely in our control.
For an athlete, this means spending more time practicing. For an artist, this means spending more time creating new work. For a student, this means spending more time learning.
Notice that there is no mention of the outcome, but the eventual outcome in all cases is skill development and improved ability.
Entering a flow state also optimizes our ability to learn for different reasons. The human mind can process up to 120 bits of information per second. Most of the time, we fail to utilize the capacity of our brain.
But, when we’re challenging ourselves with a task, our mind is at full throttle. If the activity happens to be something we enjoy and we’re good at, we enter a flow state - and it can leave us feeling ecstatic, motivated, and fulfilled.
The Benefits of Flow
Flow is beneficial in so many ways. First, it improves our ability to learn, as numerous studies have shown, including a 2007 study on Web-based training programs, which found that students that entered a flow state performed better than those that didn’t.
Flow also boosts our productivity. Research shows that the average businessperson is in a flow state for only 5 percent of the workday. If these same individuals spent 15 percent of their workday in a flow state, their productivity would double.
We also become more relaxed when we’re in flow. In a 2010 Swedish study on classical pianists, the musicians who entered flow exhibited deepened breathing and slowed heart rates. Even their facial muscles that enable smiling were activated.
Our brains love being in flow. It gives the ‘focused’ cerebral areas a break from processes, such as self-consciousness and self-talk. It leads us to a more creative state. Scientifically, it’s termed transient hypofrontality and refers to a less engaged pre-frontal cortex.
Because our pre-frontal cortices take care of higher cognitive processes - including self-reflection, analytical thinking, and other meta-conscious capacities - our implicit system can play a bigger role. We can subsequently process information effortlessly and enter a flow state.
As Csikszentmihalyi explained: “The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times…the best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.”
In other words, the best moments in our lives occur when we’re in a flow state.
Entering A Flow State
Anyone can enter a flow state under the right conditions. And the encouraging thing is that it is something we can experience repeatedly, by design, at the time of our choosing.
An optimal flow state is created when you tackle challenges that are at just the right level of ‘stretch’ for your skillset. They are neither too tough nor too easy.
You also need clear short-term goals and instant feedback on your progress. This enables you to adjust your actions and learn quickly.
Csikszentmihalyi identified four key factors that can help you enter a flow state:
1. You need to care about the task at hand
2. The activity, job, or task cannot be too easy or too difficult
3. The activity should be something that you are good at
4. Your mindset should be focused on the journey not the destination
Here are some other suggestions for entering a flow state:
Do something you love. This satisfies your mind’s craving for something that’s challenging but doable and something that you’re good at.
Create a ritual. Identify a series of actions that you do every single time you’re about to begin your task. This could be a meditation, a short walk, or a cup of coffee. No matter your activity, it will let your brain know what’s about to begin and that you are coaxing it to be ready.
Choose your most important task. Focus on one task that requires a significant portion of brain power. Multitasking make it impossible to achieve flow state.
Identify your peak creative and productive times. Identify the times where your mind most naturally functions at full speed. For many people, the morning after a good night’s sleep is the most productive. Focusing on the day’s main task during these times will make flow state a more achievable goal.
Eliminate distractions. Create a peaceful environment with minimal distractions. Switch off your phone. Disconnect from the Internet. Lock the door. Minimize the chances of being interrupted mid-flow.
Just Flow
Getting into flow has played a huge role in my life. It’s helped me produce my best work and most creative ideas. It’s also helped me manage my stress levels and switch off whenever I’ve needed to. This aspect of flow is often underestimated.
I notice a big difference in my mood on the days that I enter a flow state, even just for thirty minutes, compared to days that I don’t at all. It’s like triggering a release valve that empties the mind of doubts and anxiety.
Seeking flow is the biggest reason I enjoy running. For those few minutes, I become immersed in the exercise. Music also helps me enter a flow state and I forget about all my worries. I also feel lighter and more energetic afterwards.
It’s the same when I sit at the computer and work on something I enjoy, whether it’s writing an article or doing design work for my startup. I get so much fulfillment from being in flow.
On the other hand, on the days I don’t enter a flow state, I feel unfulfilled. I feel noticeably more stressed and negative.
Flow is the ultimate form of self-therapy and it’s free. We can all experience it. In fact, I would argue that we should all experience flow at least once a day.
Think of it as nourishing your mind. Giving it some much-needed time off, so you can become more mentally resilient and better able to handle whatever life throws at you.
Once again, I draw inspiration from children. Take a moment to watch a toddler playing with a toy. Try getting their attention. Call out their name and see if they respond. Notice that it’s like you’re not even there. They are totally immersed in what they’re doing.
At their age, every task is challenging and interesting. They are sponges for feedback. And they only do things they enjoy. So, it’s no surprise that they are so happy while they’re playing.
Toddlers enter flow states multiple times a day. Most adults, on the other hand, don’t experience flow at all on most days. It’s yet another example of how we regress as we age and another thing we can learn from our children.
So, do yourself a favor. Switch off the television. Put your phone in airplane mode. Disconnect from the Internet. Do something you love that challenges you. Or even just do the dishes with some music in the background.
Get in the flow, even if it’s only for thirty minutes a day.
You’ll thank yourself later.
Profiles In Dreaming
Every week, I profile someone that has fulfilled their dream against the odds and highlight three lessons from their journey.
The Angel of Harlem
Billie Holiday's story is as glorious as it is tragic. She overcame all sorts of challenges to build a timeless musical legacy. Her song, "Strange Fruit," that depicted the lynching of African Americans in the South, was awarded the 'Song of the Century' by Time Magazine. She scrapped and hustled her way through a racist, sexist world, only to die at the hands of her own drug addiction. Her light shines even brighter today, as she finally receives the recognition her courage and talent deserved.
Ponder This
“This is your life. This is the only one you got. As I say to my one brother, this is not a dress rehearsal. This is your life.”
- Bill Murray, during an interview with Charlie Rose.
Practice This
Another technique you can use to help you find your purpose is a Joy Review.
Spend 30-40 minutes making a list of the moments that have brought you the greatest joy in your life.
For each moment, ask yourself what it was that made it so joyful. What about it made you happy?
Look for a pattern among all these moments until you’ve identified a set of factors that make you happy.
These factors form a blueprint for designing a fulfilling life. You can use them as criteria to help you make choices that are more likely to make you happy.
Play This
Every week, I share some of the music I listen to when I write. Studies have shown that playing a song or short playlist on repeat helps put you into a state of flow, which is optimal for creativity. The choice of music is up to you. I choose music that reflects the energy I want to infuse in my work. Most of the time, this means dreamy, melodic deep house. But sometimes, when I’m writing about something raw, I go with old school hip hop.
Here’s a link to a master playlist of all the songs I’ve shared so far.
I’d love to hear your feedback or connect with you. Email me at omar@omarfarha.com.