Flow state psychology1/1/2024 ![]() ![]() And since the process is so rewarding, the more we practice, the more we seek to replicate the experience. ![]() The good news is, we are all capable of achieving flow with a little exercise. They tend to do things for their own sake rather than being driven by an external goal, therefore, they need to put less effort into focusing on a task. These are the individuals who are curious, persistent and have a low degree of self-centeredness. Psychologists believe that people with autotelic personalities can experience flow easier than others. That is why we become completely unaware of everything else around us. Since we are paying our full attention to the task, we have no mental capacity to allocate any more attention elsewhere. When we are in the flow state, we are entirely absorbed in an activity, whether it’s surfing or programming or playing the violin. We have already used half of our capacity. But to understand one single person speaking to us, we have to process 60 bits of information per second. Csíkszentmihályi estimated that we can pay conscious attention to around 120 bits of information per second. However, our minds can only process a limited amount of information at a time. So how do psychologists explain the flow state?Īt any given moment, we are bombarded with a huge amount of information coming from various sources. It is this discovery that marked the beginning of Csíkszentmihályi’s flow theory. Yet all of them experienced a similar state of concentration and engagement when they were immersed in their work. These professionals were working in different fields and came from different backgrounds and cultures. In his interviews with dozens of athletes, musicians, artists, and other creatives, Csíkszentmihályi discovered an interesting occurrence. The phenomenon of flow was discovered in 1975 by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, a Hungarian-American psychologist known for his research in the domains of creativity and happiness and one of the founders of positive psychology. Flow is achieved by matching an individual’s skill level with a medium amount of challenge. Later this week, I’ll explain how to do just that.Flow is a cognitive state in which we are fully immersed in an activity and feel energized focus and happiness. It's kind of like baking a cake you just need the right ingredients. Still, anyone can tap into flow state for an hour or two each day and work on what matters most. I'd love to be able to extend a state of flow throughout the entire day, but it becomes tiring. I can't do much about an election result after the fact, apart from worrying. On the other hand, when I try to keep up on email, social media and the news, I feel behind, overwhelmed and like I'm missing out. In this state, seeing real measurable progress toward an outcome I can influence feels reassuring and affirmative. I'm not a musician, but I'm often happiest when I'm immersed in one single task like editing a manuscript or embarking on a long training run. “An activity that produces such experiences is so gratifying that people are willing to do it for its own sake, with little concern for what they will get out of it, even when it is difficult, or dangerous.”Ĭonsider if you've ever gone to a bar or club and watched a musician play with a look of effortless joy on their face. You'll Find It's A Happy Place To WorkĬsikszentmihalyi writes about flow state: Plus, if the work is meaningful, you're far more likely to feel motivated to push forward when a project becomes demanding.ģ. Ideally, a state of flow helps you advance a little every day, so eventually you get to the top of a personal Everest. Perhaps you want to write a book, start a business, or work on a project that will win you a promotion. Instead, consider what's most important to you. That's a fast way to get fired or go out of business. ![]() I'm not saying cultivating a state of flow requires jettisoning all of these tasks and saying no to your boss or colleagues. "They leave us more exhausted, more disheartened than we were before."Ī typical workday fills up quickly with other people's priorities, such as meetings, phone calls and last-minute tasks. but after work.Ĭsikszentmihalyi writes about passive pursuits. By all means keep up with what’s happening in your area. On the other hand, it's hard to experience deep concentration if you're engaged in activities like watching television or reading the news. If you can’t leave your house or apartment right now, focus on tasks or projects within your zone of control ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |