My experience with entering the Flow state: One month later
We may never be able to get into the flow state on command, but we can keep track of the factors that helped us get into and stay in it.
Recently, I started keeping track of how I entered the flow state, because I wanted to see for myself what factors increase the probability of me getting into it. I like entering the flow state because it keeps me happy and I get a lot of work done. I can’t ask for a better combination than that. You may also know that another sign of getting in the flow state is that time seems to fly by. I’m still undecided if that’s a good or bad thing. Enough of the introduction, let’s examine my notes together.
Find a challenge that is difficult enough
This is the most interesting find in my humble opinion. I am by default, a lazy person. So shouldn’t I like easy things? Apparently not! It turns out that easy things also turn out to be boring. Imagine playing a game where you press one button to end the game. Well congratulations, you beat the game! It may be fun at first as you take the easy way out but would you want to repeat it many more times? Easy things get boring, while something challenging enough is addictive.
The challenge is where you get to use all your smarts, and that’s where the fun and flow comes from
Even if you fail, you have learnt a path that led to failure, and that may be the only reason you need to play again. And this action of wanting to play again is what allows us to enter the flow state.
I like this hack. But can you imagine playing this for a long time?
Have low expectations of the outcome of the session
You must give up the notion of getting a big, juicy reward for your hard work. What!? Shouldn’t I deserve a reward after my hard work? Yes, I wish that is always possible too. But we all know deep down that that is wishful thinking. If we are always rewarded well for our efforts, all of us would probably not mind working all day long! But our ability to overcome challenges is grounded in unpredictability. Some days, we will succeed, and others, not. By keeping our expectations low, we reduce the feelings of indignation as we spend time working on something. And this can sometimes be all it takes to enter the flow state. By the way, we will always get a useful but underrated reward — experience.
Have something that you want to work towards
I can’t say this enough. Maybe its something you know you have to do. Maybe its something you would regret not doing. Maybe its something that could close the gap between your dream and reality. We all have things that motivate us, so why do anything else? Following your heart is the greatest factor to get into the flow state.
When you feel like giving up, remember why you started
“…the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” — Steve Jobs
Remove the nagging thoughts in the back of your head
To get into the flow state, you must focus. You must not have something better to do at that moment. If you have, don’t lie to yourself or convince yourself otherwise. Just do that other thing.
“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” — Alexander Graham Bell
Have a clear outline on what you are about to do
You don’t need to have an elaborate plan. Personally, I take note of these 3 things:
Path
What is the course of action I am about to take?
Purpose
Why am I trying out this path?
Outcome
What is the outcome of my action?
Then, repeat for the next action, based on the outcome. The flow state is in the execution of a task. I find that sorting out my thoughts help me understand what I am about to do, so I would not hesitate and question my use of time while doing it.
Use tools that do not impede your flow
The tool that you spend most time working on is the tool that is most valuable. However, most mainstream and default tools are generalised. If you find yourself pausing or your thought being disrupted as you try to manipulate the tool, it means that that tool can be personalised to suit your workflow.
In simpler terms, use tools that do not annoy you.
If you can, try to tweak the tool such that it suits you best. The best thing is that most of the time, you can improve your tool for free. It just requires you to go take the initiative to do some research and think, which is a small temporal price to pay for consistent future benefits!
For example, if you depend a lot on your notes and find yourself always flipping through them to find specific chapters, find ways to organise them using labels or colours. If you find yourself spending too much time organising your physical notes instead of actually using the notes, it may be worth it to get a digital tool for note-taking, such as using a free note app or buying an iPad, which are more flexible in that regard.
I use my computer a lot for work. For me, getting a monitor to increase my screen estate is one of the best investments I have ever made in terms of increasing my productivity and saving my eyes. I also tend to have to open many windows at once. Hence, I use a tiling window manager, Regolith Linux, to allow me to see all windows at once without having to manage them, and also allow me to easily switch to different virtual desktops. It has truly reduced friction between what I want to do and doing what I want to do.
Overall, your workflow is a very personal thing. I know many friends who have interesting ways to do things that suit their workflow very well. Experiment, tweak your tool to suit your workflow, and you will be able to better stay in the flow~
Other Factors
Here are other factors I found which I don’t have enough time to elaborate fully about, but I believe are equally as important.
Talk to people after working
Humans are a funny species. We are individualistic yet social. If you work alone a lot, it is good to talk to people after working. This fills a need we all have, and actually makes it easier to get into the next flow state. Meanwhile, if you work with people a lot, it may be good to spend some time alone and recharge after work. Likewise, I believe it will make it easier for you to get into the next flow state.
Minimise spontaneous distractions
Silence the notifications from your phone and computer except for the most important people. For me, it helps to keep my computer desktop clean too. However, I am sure that many people also work better with a messier environment. In fact, there are studies that claim that a messy environment can breed creativity. If you are not sure, remember that experimentation is free.
Have enough sleep
Never sacrifice sleep. Time and time again, I sacrificed sleep because I was reluctant for the day to end, and find myself tired, unfocused, and being grumpy the next day. It is not worth it!
Conclusion
I know that this is a text-heavy article. But there are too many things I wanted to write about. I hope you found some of them beneficial. I’m sure that you also have experiences getting into the flow state. How does it feel like for you? What factors help you get into the flow state? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section. If you have an article relating to the topic, do share it in the comments as well.
