Flow

Defining Flow

• Flow is a state of complete absorption and engagement in

an activity, where one's skills and the challenge of the
task are in balance, and the individual experiences a
sense of timelessness, focus, and enjoyment.
• The concept of flow was introduced by positive
psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who described it as
a "state of concentration or complete absorption with the
activity at hand and the situation" (Csikszentmihalyi,
1990, p. 4).
• According to Csikszentmihalyi (1990), flow is characterized
by several key components, including:
• Complete Concentration on the task: The individual is
completely concentrated on the tasks.
• Clear goals and feedback: The individual knows what they
need to do and receives clear feedback on their progress
towards the goal.
• Balance between skills and challenge: The individual's
skills are matched to the challenge of the task, allowing
them to fully engage in the activity without feeling
overwhelmed or bored.
• Sense of control: The individual feels in control of the
activity and is able to make decisions and take actions that
influence the outcome.
• Loss of self-consciousness: The individual becomes
completely absorbed in the activity and loses self-
awareness, allowing them to experience a sense of
timelessness and focus.
• Sense of enjoyment: The individual experiences a sense
of pleasure and enjoyment in the activity itself, rather than
just the outcome.
Model of Flow State
• Flow has been linked to a range of positive outcomes,
including increased creativity, productivity, and well-being
(Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi,
2014).
• It is often associated with activities such as sports, music,
and art, but can also be experienced in everyday tasks
such as cooking or cleaning.
Who Experiences Flow?
Interestingly, the capacity to experience flow can differ from
person to person.
• Studies suggest that those with autotelic personalities tend
to experience more flow.
• Such people tend to do things for their own sake rather than
chasing some distant external goal.
• This type of personality is distinguished by certain meta-
skills such as high interest in life, persistence, and low self-
centeredness.
• In a recent study investigating associations between flow
and the five personality traits, researchers found a negative
correlation between flow and neuroticism and a positive
correlation between flow and conscientiousness (Ullén et
al., 2012).
• It can be speculated that neurotic individuals are more
prone to anxiety and self-criticism, which are conditions that
can disrupt a flow state. In contrast, conscientious
individuals are more likely to spend time mastering
challenging tasks–an important piece of the flow
experience, especially in the workplace.
 What Happens in the Brain During Flow?
• The state of flow has rarely been investigated from a
neuropsychological perspective, but it’s becoming a focus of
some researchers. According to Arne Dietrich, it has been
associated with decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex
(2003).

• The prefrontal cortex is an area of the brain responsible for

higher cognitive functions such as self-reflective consciousness,
memory, temporal integration, and working memory. It’s an area
that’s responsible for our conscious and explicit state of mind.
• However, in a state of flow, this area is believed to temporarily down-regulate in a
process called transient hypofrontality.

• This temporary inactivation of the prefrontal area may trigger the feelings of
distortion of time, loss of self-consciousness, and loss of inner critic.

• Moreover, the inhibition of the prefrontal lobe may enable the implicit mind to
take over, allowing more brain areas to communicate freely and engage in a
creative process (Dietrich, 2004).

• In other research, it’s been hypothesized that the flow state is related to the
brain’s dopamine reward circuitry since curiosity is highly amplified during flow
(Gruber, Gelman, & Ranganath, 2014).
 How to Achieve Flow

• It’s important to note that one can’t experience flow if

distractions disrupt the experience (Nakamura et al.,
2009).

• Thus, to experience this state, one has to stay away

from the attention-robbers common in a modern fast-
paced life. A first step would be to turn off your
smartphone when seeking flow.
• Also, the balance of perceived challenges and skills are
important factors in flow (Nakamura et al., 2009).

• On the one hand, when a challenge is bigger than one’s

level of skills, one becomes anxious and stressed. On the
other hand, when the level of skill exceeds the size of the
challenge, one becomes bored and distracted.