FLOW STATE PROFESSIONAL

The challenge serves as a portal into theflow statebecause it requires brainpower and a one-pointed focus.įull attention is immersed in what we’re doing and we derive deep personal and/or professional satisfaction from it. We tend to want to run away from challenges but in the case of flow psychology, we’ll actually want to run towards them. These kinds of activities and tasks help us completely immerse ourselves in the moment and in what we’re doing, while also stretching and testing our capacity and resilience.Įverynew skillinvolves a learning curve, and this is no different. In his book, FLOW: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Csikszentmihalyi pegs flowas the psychological meeting point where challenges meet skill.Īccording to Csikszentmihalyi, weexperience flowwhen we engage in activities that provide the right amount of challengegiven ourskill level. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience Slower brain waves are associated with increased creativity, focus, and productivity.Ī brain that tends to ‘go with the flow’ produces multiple brain chemicals that amplify mental processing and imagination. The relaxation response optimizes mind power by slowing down brain waves, which in turn shifts our consciousness. It reduces the stress responsewhile activating the relaxation response. The Flow Stateisn’t just about a state of mind. If stress kills inspiration, creativity, focus, and productivity then theFlow Staterevives them. TheFlow Stateis the sweet fertile spot where stresses and anxieties dissolve and inspiration, concentration, creativity, original thinking, and imagination are born. These challenges involve setting attainable andclear goalsthat provide us withimmediate feedbackabout our progress.įlow is important… The way to happiness lies not in mindless hedonism, but in mindful challenge. These challenges are opportunities for inspired action that stretch our current level of skill and talents. – Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life by Mihaly CsikszentmihalyiĪccording topositive psychologyexpertMihaly Csikszentmihalyi, we createflow experiencesnot by following pleasures of the senses per se, but by going after challenges that are meaningful to us. If one fails to develop goals that give meaning to one’s existence, if one does not use the mind to its fullest, then good feelings fulfill just a fraction of the potential we possess. The quality of life does not depend on happiness alone, but also on what one does to be happy. How do we movebeyond boredomand chronic overwhelm into the territory of meaning, creativity, insight, and inspiration?įinding theexperience of flowin your life isn’t so much about changing the external circumstances as it is about turning inward and consciously taking inspired action to change yourmental state. So how do we overcome such challenges to experience a state of flow and well-being? Or you might feel stuck in any area of your life. You may feel bored with your work or your relationship. Maybe your job brings you little or no joy. Most (if not all) of us are seeking to live a meaningful and fulfilling life we can be proud of. – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, ‘Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience’ She has to develop the ability to find enjoyment and purpose regardless of external circumstances.

Flow state