The “flow state,” also known as being “In The Zone,” is a unique concept in Positive Psychology which states that our minds can deeply focus and dial in on an activity of our choice. This state of mind was introduced by Hungarian-American psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in the 1970s and has since been applied in many areas including psychology, workplaces, as well as sports. It has been found to increase enjoyment, productivity, an increase in motivation, as well as a greater involvement in daily tasks (Medical News Today)
Many have experienced the flow state, whether consciously or unconsciously. The time where hours flew by without realizing and the beauty of it all is that the flow is unlocked in various different ways. It can be achieved by reading, writing, playing a sport, at work, or doing almost anything we are passionate about as people.
Scientifically, we enter the flow state by eliminating distractions and dial in on one task. In this state of flow, we are fully absorbed into our individual tasks while our body and mind are working simultaneously with one another. This creates an effortless momentum and we are hyper-focused on a single task. There are many benefits which include an increase in productivity, a lack of distraction, better performance, and higher levels of satisfaction.
But how does one achieve this state? We can enter a flow state by removing distractions and focusing on our breathing. By entering a meditative state, our nervous systems are calmed and we allow ourselves to enter the present moment and focus on the task at hand. Experts say that avoiding social media is crucial to entering the flow state. Finding activities and passions that we are highly interested and engaged in is crucial to achieving this state, when we as people are fully engaged and invested we are more likely to reach it. On a scientific level, the flow state is when a balance is reached between challenge and skill, and this in turn enters us into a higher state of consciousness.
By regularly finding the state of flow, we can avoid the social media addictions and find true dopamine in our lives. This, in turn, will help us as people find true and deep enjoyment in real and productive things, rather than the false benefits of using social media. The average seventeen-year-olds spend over eight hours on their phones per day—that is fifty-six hours a week and nearly three-thousand hours a year (MyKidsVision.org). The flow state can help minimize this wasted time and transform our generation and our productivity. By wasting this much time on our phones chasing instant gratification and quick dopamine hits, many of us are not tapping into our full potential and reaching our goals and vision.
Overall, this fascinating discovery by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi can make the difference within our lives and help all of us to reach our full potential, end the social media addiction, and help us to find true purpose and happiness in our lives.
