What is the flow state?
If you’ve ever felt completely absorbed in something, you may have experienced a mental state that psychologists call flow. Achieving this state can help people feel more enjoyment, energy, and engagement.
Imagine for a moment that you are running a race. Your attention is focused on the movements of your body, the power of your muscles, the strength of your lungs, and the sensation of the pavement beneath your feet. You are living in the moment, completely absorbed in the activity. Time seems to disappear. You’re tired, but you barely notice it.
This is an example of flow state.
One of the best feelings when working is being in your peak performance mode—where work feels effortless, everything else disappears, and even your sense of time fades away.
That peak performance moment has a name: the flow state.
When you’re in a flow state, productivity and creativity skyrocket, and you can accomplish amazing work with ease. Fortunately, reaching this optimal state is not as difficult as it seems. Certain practices can help you achieve it.
Flow is a mental state in which a person is fully immersed in an activity. The positive psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi describes flow as a state of total absorption in an activity.
Being immersed can be defined as a state of deep concentration, where a person is entirely focused and engrossed in their work.
When we enter a flow state, our mind is fully engaged in the task at hand in a way that frees up other parts of our brain to make new connections.
Even though you’re working, flow is inherently restorative and enjoyable.
How does the flow state occur, and how can you achieve it?
Thanks to modern neuroscience, we now understand a distinct pattern in the brain that triggers the flow state.
Flow states are induced through the interaction of five different neurotransmitters in the human brain.
The 5 neurotransmitters behind flow state:
- Dopamine – When entering flow, dopamine floods the brain. It enhances attention, information flow, and pattern recognition, essentially boosting skills.
- Norepinephrine – It accelerates heart rate, muscle tension, and breathing. It also triggers a glucose response, giving you more energy while increasing excitement, attention, neural efficiency, and emotional control—creating an exhilarating “high.”
- Endorphins – These relieve pain and induce pleasure. They function similarly to opioids, but the sensation from endorphins is up to 100 times more powerful than morphine.
- Anandamide – This is an endogenous cannabinoid, producing effects similar to the psychoactive effects of marijuana. Anandamide is released during exercise-induced flow states, elevates mood, relieves pain, dilates blood vessels, and enhances breathing.
- Serotonin – At the end of a flow state, serotonin fills the brain, creating a “post-flow glow.” This leaves you feeling happy and fulfilled after intense focus, but it only occurs after the flow state has ended.
In summary, these five chemicals form the brain science behind flow states.
So the next time you experience a deep state of focus, you’ll understand the powerful science behind this incredible tool that exists within you.
How can you achieve the flow state?
Once you understand how flow works, you can structure your schedule and work environment to make it as conducive to flow as possible.
Here is a guide to entering the flow state more often and maintaining it:
1. Choose clear goals
Part of entering flow state involves working on a task with a specific, defined outcome.
You’ll find it easier to reach the right mental state when you know exactly what you’re working on, which gives you a sense of control.
2. Make it challenging
Activities that strike the right balance between challenge and skill are the most engaging.
If you can’t modify the task itself, you can change other factors to make it more challenging.
Finding ways to make a routine task more difficult makes it more enjoyable.
3. Facilitate concentration
Take time to review your schedule and block out periods where you can work without distractions.
You may want to schedule these sessions based on certain activities or at times of the day when you are naturally more productive and alert.
4. Take care of yourself
When in flow state, you might forget to eat, drink water, sleep, or even notice how long you’ve been sitting in the same position.
While this may help maintain focus, it is not optimal for your body.
Create self-care routines to help you stay comfortable so you can stay in flow longer.
Keep water and protein bars near your workspace to avoid interruptions.
5. Turn off your phone
Eliminating distractions includes turning off your phone.
However, this deserves its own category because blocking out time is useless if you carry a distraction in your pocket.
Once you’ve communicated that you’ll be unavailable for a set period, turn off notifications and put your phone away.
Final Thoughts
The image below clearly shows the correlation between the level of challenge in an activity and the skills required to perform it.
When both are maximized, we reach the peak of the flow state.
By understanding the science behind flow and applying the right techniques, you can enhance productivity, creativity, and overall well-being in everything you do.