Ever heard of “the flow state of mind”?
The flow state. It’s a phenomenon you’ve probably experienced at some point. This state of mind is most commonly seen among artists, athletes, and scientists, but it’s not impossible to reach.
At its core, the flow state of mind is when an individual becomes so immersed in their task that every fiber of their being becomes a part of the activity that they’re performing. It’s when you are so fully immersed in the task that time stops. That is the flow state.
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, born in Croatia and of Hungarian-American descent, first introduced the ideology of flow in 1975, and he argued that there are 9 dimensions to this state.
First, you experience a skill-challenge balance. This is when the task you are performing matches your skill set: the job is not too over or underwhelming. If there is a disbalance (if boredom or frustration is present), then you are no longer in a state of flow.
You then lose your sense of self-awareness and merge awareness and action together. This leads to a strong sense of clarity. The best part is when flow peaks, and you simply disregard all distractions.
Not only is the flow state intrinsically moving and crucial to activating creativity, but it’s been proven to show that it is required for optimal neurobiological human performance.
Most obviously, the flow state activates your dopamine reward system. A cool section of the brain that flow de-activates is the Default Mode Network, which is key in activating “mind-wandering”: planning and anticipating situations and recalling past events. This mode of your brain is also known to make you question yourself. Flow reduces this effect, as well as stress, and who doesn’t need a stress reliever nowadays?
Studies have shown that your DNA can also affect your ability to tap into flow. A study comparing identical and non-identical twins found that genetic differences can explain up to 30% of the variance between individuals who are able to easily tap into flow and not. The remaining 70% relates to our upbringing and environment.
But Why is it Important For us to Reach Flow?
Tapping into the flow state can literally make you happier. We already know it’s a stress-reliever, but it does so much more for the human mind and body than you make think it does, increasing the importance of learning how to use it.
- You will reach heightened performance skills, making you much better at the task that you’re completing.
- You’ll find that with heightened performance skills comes increased skill development.
- The flow state is great for tapping into creativity, which is a crucial part of human life and survival. By temporarily disengaging your prefrontal cortex, the flow state allows you to be spontaneous and fearless in your creative decisions.
- You’ll connect much deeper to what it is that you’re doing, and enjoy it much more if you find yourself in the flow state.
Money can buy happiness, sure, but the flow state is what your body is craving. Find something that you love to do, and get in the mood to flow.