How The COVID Crisis May Help You Get Into A Flow State: 5 Suggestions For Achieving Mental Flow With Your Work

When elite athletes or artists get into a “flow state—a zone of ideal performance—it feels great and produces significant outcomes. In today’s COVID-created circumstances of uncertainty and struggle, it can seem like an achievement just to make it from your morning coffee to your evening glass of wine. But, believe it or not, a flow state may be more possible today than ever.

What is Flow

According to author and scientist, Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, flow is defined as an “optimal state of consciousness where you feel your best and perform your best.” It is characterized by “being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies…Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.”

Brains in flow are in an enhanced mental state and enjoying a rush of neuro-chemicals including endorphins, norepinephrine, serotonin, anandamide and dopamine. Even if you’re not a neurobiologist, you’ve probably heard of some of these chemicals associated with greater pleasure, better performance and expanded creative problem solving. In flow, our brains are in a state of heightened awareness and attention toward a clear goal. Conscious thoughts are reduced. This is referred to as “efficiency exchange.” We’re literally exchanging the energy we typically spend on conscious thought (or even self-conscious thought) for attention to a goal.

In addition, if you can accomplish flow, it’s worth the effort. McKinsey conducted a 10-year study with 5,000 executives in which they reported being five times more productive when they were in flow.

Flow in Today’s Climate

Elements of the current crisis can actually create the conditions—or triggers—that facilitate the flow state. In his book, The Rise of Superman, Steven Kotler researched extreme athletes like skydivers or surfers and found elements of flow that can be tapped in work situations. According to Rian Doris, COO at the Flow Research Collective and Kotler’s business partner in the venture, today’s challenges can be triggers for flow in these two particular ways:

• Challenge and risk. “Situations of intense challenge or high risk are classic conditions for flow,” says Doris. Traditional examples of these may come through activities like rock climbing or alpine skiing, but today’s high-risk environment may create the conditions for flow as well.
• Complexity and ambiguity. Doris says circumstances of uncertainty are also ripe for flow opportunities. In fact, a VUCA world—one in which there is volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity—one very similar to today’s turbulence—may be just right to motivate a flow state.

So, how can you enhance the likelihood of getting into a flow state?

Pay attention to the basics. Doris recommends ensuring you’re getting enough sleep, eating in a healthy way, in a good state of mind (for example, feeling gratitude) and effectively managing stress.

Set clear goals and focus on them. An important condition for flow is having well-defined goals. Clarity in your objectives will facilitate the concentration and focus you need.

Obtain critique. Another hallmark of flow is immediate feedback. Ensure you’re getting reactions to your work either by paying attention to your level of success with the task itself or based on input from a colleague or leader.

Challenge yourself and match your skills. Reach for accomplishments that stretch your skills. If things are too easy or too difficult, your motivation will wane. But if you can expend effort on things that are difficult but achievable, you’ll be stimulated to succeed.

Flow is also possible to experience as a team. You increase the likelihood of experiencing flow as a group by ensuring you have shared goals and all the team members are doing plenty of active listening. In addition, team members should focus on constructive collaboration rather than combative behavior and ensure participation is equal and not ego-based. Finally, teams are more likely to achieve flow when they have frequent and regular contact and when they share risk on key decisions.

Whether you’re achieving flow as an individual or as a team, you’ll know you’re in a flow state when you lose a sense of yourself, a sense of time and a sense of physical need. In the strange new world of quarantine, remote working and new challenges at every turn, finding a flow state may be the silver lining. Harness the uncertainty and leverage the risk you’re facing to seek flow in unexpected ways.