Flow

You might have experienced a state of flow at some time in your life. It is the state where one feels no resistance and achieves total oneness with the activity, when the senses are heightened, when there is fluidity between the body and the mind, when there is total presence and when time-space fabric seems to go on expanding.

If you try to remember your best moments in your life, you will notice that these are not always the passive, receptive and relaxing times but the best moments usually came when your body or mind was stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something challenging but worthwhile. Engagement and concentration played a key role in achieving such flow state.

This effortless momentum of life, the ‘flow’ can not only be achieved with activities that you love to do but simple day-to day tasks. Here are the 5 things you can do to get in the state of flow:

• Do more of what you love to do: This of course is the easiest way to get into the stat of flow. Do something that you love, something that is challenging but you would love to try and something that you are very good at. 

• Create a ritual: Create a ritual before getting into any activity which will help you to enter the flow zone. It can be a cup of coffee, a short walk, an exercise session or meditation. Give your brain a clear signal that you want to get into high concentration mode where you want to be attentive and present. 

• Take most important task in hand. Instead of unnecessarily multitasking all the time, focus on what is most important and give your total focus. This will remove unwanted mental disturbances that comes in the way.

• Identify the times of your peak performance: Are you a morning person or an evening person? Most of us prefer to work more during certain times of the day, when less amount of work gives most output.  Schedule your significant tasks during the times when your performance is bound to be at a peak level.

• Remove distractions. The state of flow comes more naturally in peaceful and comfortable environments when your mind is no distracted. Keep your phone away or put it on Do not disturb mode.  Keep only those windows on laptop that you need and minimize the activities such as checking Facebook, latest news, etc… which disturbs you more often.

Question for Reflection :  How do I feel in tackling a task that challenge my abilities to the maximum ?