Finding My Flow (State)

I was talking to a friend earlier today, and he described his recent football practice with his guys as his “flow state therapy”. 

Intrigued by the term, I began a rabbit hole research into this idea. 

Popularized by positive psychologists Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Jeanne Nakamur, a flow state describes a feeling where, under the right conditions you become immersed in whatever you’re doing. Learn more in Mihaly’s Ted Talk, here. 

In layman’s terms, you look up from that thing you’re really engaged in and 6 hours have gone by without you realizing it because it felt like minutes. You’re “in the zone”. 

Don’t get it confused with passive activities like watching TV or listening to music; it’s a very active moving meditation. 

Playing sports such as the aforementioned football can bring about a flow state. Riding a bicycle, running, yoga, playing chess, putting a puzzle together, and gardening are other flow state activities. 

As summer is in full swing, I am constantly looking for ways to achieve this flow state. I love feeling immersed in activities that bring about this flow state: an activity whose challenge level is just enough to keep me engaged yet not too high to bring about anxiety. 

I am excited to explore what that looks like for me. Activities on my radar include swimming, guitar, and gardening.

I believe biking, yoga, writing, and reading get me in a flow state (albeit that yoga is for a short time). Video editing used to be a flow state activity for me. So was itinerary/trip planning. It’s funny how I think of both now and it only induces anxiety. 

I could also explore building things/carpentry. 

By the end of this exploration I want to zero in on two activities that I feel immersed in; activities where its mastery has different levels of challenge that keep me engaged in and six hours could go by but it feels like 6 minutes. 

What are your flow state interests? Share below.