By Adam Smith
How To Find Your State Of Flow
We have all heard the terms in the zone, flow or sweet spot. These are all terms we say when we feel at our best and perform to our peak state. Whereas when we are not in this zone. It’s either nothings happening or we are climbing Mount Everest to get back into the state of flow. I’ve tried my best to reach this state as I know it’s where my best self lies. So here’s what I’ve found out with my 5 ways how to unlock the state of flow more easily.
I have had many experiences with the unlock of state of flow. A prime example I have from my childhood was when I was playing the formula 1 game. I was driving a Ferrari around Monaco. I liked to make it as realistic as possible and set it to the exact amount of laps (72) as in real life. As I’m driving from lap 48 to lap 56 I can’t remember anything other than I’m still driving in 1st place. I got into such a zone that my subconscious had taken over. It was a weird sensation but I knew I was in the zone.
Whenever I’m in the zone for anything else my brain feels like it’s Limitless. Everything is moving in the right direction. Essentially everything I touch turns to gold in those moments.
Whenever you learn something and do it many times over. Your brain takes you to an autopilot setting. Here your subconscious mind can run the task a lot smoother. Rather than you overthinking loads of other thoughts that get in the way.
It’s like putting an untrained fighter in with an experience well trained UFC fighter. The foremost is going to be all over the place trying to think of what to do. Whereas compared to the UFC fighter he will indistinctively shut you down through his autopilot state.
Where are you an expert
The question you have to ask yourself. Where in your life have you become an expert? If you’re thinking your not an expert at anything. Remember you’re an expert breather, at walking, picking up things ETC. These are the things that run autopilot in your life without thinking.
After you have made a list of what you are an expert in. Ask yourself how can I channel my mind into the state of flow? If it’s writing, how can you get rid of all distraction or if your playing sports what preparation can I do before a game to get focussed?
This is what athletes do all the time to get them into their flow state. In formula 1 split-second reaction time matters and Two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen says “Every lap, you need maximum concentration. You need to focus 100%, so everything influencing your life must be in the right place and there can be nothing disturbing your mind.” This is why many athletes have turned to meditation and visualisation as techniques to help their mind focus and enter the state of flow.
Even when you get into the state of flow you can come out of it by a simple distraction then the whole process has to begin again. What if I told you there’s a way to access your state of flow whenever you wanted to.
Below are 5 ways how to reach the state of flow more easily
Something Challenging
Do something that challenges and excites you that’s just enough challenge that you can do. Getting into the state of flow your brain needs to be stimulated by a task that pushes you out of your comfort zone. If you pick something to difficult there’s too much for the brain to figure out. This will draw away brain resources to that area where you’re more consciously active in the development.
For example when I public spoken the first time I did it I was a mumbling sweating mess. Now through experinece the fear factor has gone. I now enter a flow state where an hour can feel like 10 minutes and I’m always shocked by the amount of time that has elapsed. When you know something and it’s a slightly challenging thing to do, this is prime time for the state of flow to take over.
Take action
This is a really simple one. You can’t reach a state of flow if you don’t take action. Here we are talking about activities that push the needle forward to improve your life. As much fun sleeping and watching Netflix can be. They’re not the zones we are looking for. So take action and become an expert on challenges that can move you into the state of flow.
Clear all distractions
For you to stay in the zone you need to stay inside your mind and not get distracted enough to come out of it. At home, if your writing, have your headphones on, let everyone know what you’re doing and move any other distraction like mobile phones to one side. This will drastically improve your chances of staying in the zone. If what your trying to do involves a crowd, prepare yourself for it, embrace it and over time it will become normal as background noise for your zone.
Find something that makes you happy
As there are many ways to enter the state of flow. When you’re trying to focus on entering it. Pick things in your life that make you happy. Everyones goal in life should be to achieve happiness any way they can and by choosing activities that get you into the zone will make the feeling of flow even more profound. Do something that ignites your passion that creates the focus needed to enter the state of flow. This shuts out everything around you to focus on what you love to do. Which means your probably an expert at it to allow yourself to do it on autopilot happily.
Quieten the mind
A great way to get into the state of flow is when you quieten the mind. It can be doing tasks at a certain time of day. I love writing and doing my morning routine before everyone wakes up in my home and this is the quietest part of my day. I can stay in this zone until everyone wakes up hours later. The feeling I get from this is something I look forward to. Another great way is to take meditation and breathing work which can also incorporate Yoga as an option. These techniques have allowed me to enter a state of flow consistently. The best way for me to enter this zone is by doing it alone without any distraction.
Final Thoughts
The unlock of state of flow is a wonderful experience when done by doing things your passionate about that, in the end, make you happy. Finding more of these experiences rather than a mundane flow state will boost your immense feeling when you reach that sweet spot.
Don’t focus on applying this into your day too much. Just allow times in your day where you can allow yourself to enter it without distraction and let go and enjoy the process. More will get done for you to progress onto whatever next step you wish to achieve.
What helps you enter the state of low? How does it make you feel? Have you ever planned to do it?
I would love to hear your thoughts on the post 5 ways how to unlock the state of flow more easily.