The state of flow is a state in which the mind simply flows and helps you connect with what you are doing at a given moment, with all your senses. When you are in a state of flow (also known as a state of ‘flow’), time seems to disappear and you live in the moment, completely absorbed in the present activity.

What is experienced in the state of flow is a state of complete immersion in an activity. It is being completely involved in an activity by oneself, the ego fades, time flies … every action, movement and thought follows one after another, the whole being is involved, the abilities are used to the maximum, the whole weather.

Flow experiences can occur in different ways in people, there is no one flow state for everyone. Some may experience flow when participating in sports, others when reading, others when painting or writing , others when driving, etc.

What the flow state feels like

There are ten factors that accompany the flow state. Although some of these components may be present, it is not necessary to experience all of them for the flow state to occur. What’s more, when you are in a state of flow, you will realize that you are experiencing it. Although if you want to value it, you must take the following aspects into account:

-You have clear objectives and it does not matter if they are challenging

-Focused attention and great concentration

-The activity is inherently rewarding

-Feelings of serenity

-Timelessness (distorted sense of time )

-Immediate feedback

-Balance between skill and challenges

-Feeling of personal control over the situation and the outcome

-Lack of knowledge in physical needs

How to achieve the flow state

What can you do to increase the chances of achieving the state of flow? Flow is likely to occur when an individual is faced with a task that has clear objectives that require specific responses. A game of chess is a good example of when a state of flux might occur. During the duration of a competition, the player has very specific goals and responses, allowing attention to be fully focused on the game while it lasts.

Flow also occurs when a person’s skills are fully involved in overcoming a challenge that is almost manageable, thus acting as a magnet for learning new skills and increasing challenges. If the challenges are too low, one flows back by increasing them. If the challenges are too great, one can return to the state of flow by learning new skills.

Examples of flow status

Although experiences in the flow state can appear as part of everyday life, there are also practical applications in different areas of life, such as in the area of ​​education, in sports or in the workplace itself .

In education

Overlearning a skill or concept that can help people experience flow. When a person likes to learn and does it with topics they like, the flow state will appear by itself and the hours will fly by thanks to the fact that the knowledge they acquire they like and make them feel good.

In sports

As in educational settings, participating in a challenging athletic activity that is doable but presents a slight challenge of skills is a good way to achieve flow. It is sometimes described as being “in the zone”, reaching this state of flux that allows an athlete to experience a loss of self-awareness and a feeling of total mastery of the performance.

At work

The state of flow can also occur when workers are engaged in tasks where they can fully focus on the project at hand. For example, a writer may experience this while working on a novel, or a graphic designer may achieve flow while working on an illustration for a website.