You know flow state when you’re in it: you’re moving through a workout with ease, the words you need to write come without strain, your thoughts and ideas feel coherent, the people you need to meet seem to show up in your path.
In flow state, you move effortlessly from one task to the next in a remarkable spurt of “productivity” — checking things off your list, accomplishing meaningful work, and feeling good about your progress.
Flow state feels like magic, but it’s not a mystery.
We can mine our experiences for the patterns that created them. Once we identify the elements that created a flow state in one area, we can adapt those elements to create that state in other areas of life.
When I capture flow in a workout, I look at what elements were present so I can design my work sessions in a similar way.
This, of course, requires the ability to identify when you’re in a flow state.
Hyper-Focus is Not Flow
As someone who is neuro-divergent, I am very familiar with the hyper-focus state: that state where you’re zoned in on one thing and can focus for hours.
In hyperfocus, I can be so absorbed in a task or project that I don’t realize hours have gone by. I sit by a window and not notice that it turned dark outside. I don’t eat. I don’t take bathroom breaks. People can be causing commotion all around me and I wouldn’t notice.
I used to think that this was “flow.”
It took me a long time to realize that hyper-focus and flow are not the same.
When I am in flow, I notice the presence of several different emotional/psychological states. These are different from the elements or factors necessary to create the conditions for a flow state.
Here are 5 emotional/psychological states of being that show up in flow state.
(1) Connected
When you are in flow, you are connected.
You feel dialed-in. You are present to what you are doing and to your surroundings.
This is essentially the opposite of hyper-focus and total distraction, which are often the two extremes of ADHD.
Hyper-focus is a state of disconnection. In hyper-focus, you’re not present to the moment; in fact, you hardly register what is going on around you.
In distraction mode, you’re present to too much: attention is scattered everywhere, without a filter.
In flow, you’re connected — both to yourself and to what’s around you. You’re present to what’s currently happening, and you also have a filter that keeps your attention focused on what’s relevant for you in the moment.
(2) Confident
In flow state, you have confidence in your capabilities: your skills and in your ability to do the tasks required.
Because you’re connected, you trust yourself.
You make decisions quickly and with ease. You don’t second-guess yourself. You don’t waver or equivocate.
The self-trust means you don’t feel the need to ask several people for advice about decisions that only you can make for yourself.
As a result, you move through your tasks more quickly.
(3) Creative
Everyone is creative, but not everyone has access to their creativity at all times.
In flow state, you have access to your creativity. You see things from a different perspective. You suddenly have new ideas and insights that might have previously eluded you.
Where you once saw walls blocking your path, now you see the spaces in those walls where you can get through.
(4) Courageous
In flow state, everything feels conquerable.
You feel challenged in the right way: enough that it focuses you without so much that it leaves you feeling depleted or defeated.
Because you are connected, capable, and confident, you have the courage to take on bigger challenges or test the waters with new ideas and experiments.
In flow state, you’re not afraid to fail.
(5) Calm
This is part of feeling connected and present to where you are and what you’re doing, but it is so crucial that it deserves to be called out in its own category.
In flow state, you’re moving through your tasks and checking things off your list.
You might be in constant motion, but you’re not frantic or scattered. You might be acting with urgency, but you’re not rushing or feeling rushed.
There’s a sense of calm to your actions.
You’re not frustrated or angry, not spinning out in overwhelm.
You’re grounded, intentional, and acting with purpose.
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