Theorized by one of the founding fathers of positive psychology, “flow” designates a state of optimal experience, in which the individual is completely absorbed in an activity. It is a moment of grace and full potential that we encounter in sport, in music, in art and even… at work!
When we enter a state of flow, we are immersed in our world and we no longer see time passing. Concentration is maximum and the level of pleasure in carrying out the task is also at the top.
The state of optimal experience
This state of optimal functioning of the mind is what the psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályiat the origin of positive psychology alongside Martin Seligman, called it “flow”.
It is the state of consciousness where an individual is strongly engaged in an activity for the interest it represents for oneself. We are engaged because the activity captivates us as such, and not to achieve a specific objective. It is the activity itself that becomes the goal.
The psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi (died 2021)
The state of flow requires concentration and effort. There is therefore certainly a notion of personal challenge, but it is confined to the measurement of the individual’s abilities. Thus, with the necessary efforts, we are able to carry out the mission successfully, in any field, according to the interests and skills of each person (e.g. playing an instrument, playing a game of chess, writing, singing, playing a video game, making an object, painting, playing a sport, etc.).
In a state of flow, the brain releases hormones (dopamine, serotonin and endorphins), which generate a greater capacity for retention, information processing and adaptation, a increase in motivation and… creativity. It also allows other areas of the brain to interact, giving free rein to our ability to create and innovate. Flow thus has a clear influence on fulfillment, self-confidence and performance.
A drop in activity in the prefrontal cortex has even been identified, undoubtedly linked to the loss of .
The 6 factors of the state of flow
In a state of flow, we perceive a balance between our personal skills and the challenge to be taken on. We forget our ego (more self-awareness) and, as we are immersed in the present moment, the notion of time no longer applies. This results in indicators
So how do you get into a state of flow and stay there? It is difficult to make the decision to experience flow because it is a state that one achieves without conscious effortbut the activity must be pleasant and rewarding, just because of the interest it represents for you.
Rather, it is about finding yourself in a situation and a state of mind, characterized by indicators such as:
- The commitment : we are involved in our task because we attach importance and value to it.
- Mastery : we are comfortable but the task in question remains sufficiently stimulating to represent a challenge. If it is too simple, we quickly fall into the easy way which tends to demobilize us. The execution of the task then becomes automatic. Conversely, the objective and the difficulty must not be out of reach, otherwise you will “leave” the state of flow.
- Focus : we must not be interrupted while practicing the activity to remain fully immersed.
- Positive emotions : in a state of flow, we exclusively perceive well-being, pleasure and even pride. There is no feeling of stress, anxiety and boredom.
- The loss of temporal markers : we are focused on the present moment and completely cut off from the rest of the world. You can stay there for hours and forget even your basic physiological needs such as thirst, hunger, fatigue or “pressing desires”.
- The level of satisfaction : the activity must send us back feelings about the quality of performance, because we must be able to rectify the situation ourselves if we notice a result below our level of personal demand.
Flow in practice…
So how to put it into practice?
- We start by setting clear objectivesambitious but achievable.
- We concentrate and, for that, we cut off sources of distraction like phone or notifications.
- We do confidence in your skills and we try to continually improve them.
- We seek to self-evaluate our performance to stay on course and have the feeling of progress.
The state of flow is so pleasant that it fuels motivation. The activities that give us these timeless moments are so pleasant that we practice them seriously and diligently, which further improves our skill level. It’s the perfect virtuous circle!
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s flow matrix: the optimal experience
Then, it is important toanalyze flow momentsand to identify the red thread that connects them. What stimulates and motivates us in these activities?
You have to be as precise as possible because this is the key to determining your drivers, that is to say these elements to the source of energy that stimulates us and makes us vibrate.
The better we know our driving forces, the more able we are to make personal and professional choices in accordance with ourselves. Once they are identified, we can better target environments or the working conditions that really suit us.
