Challenge Yourself to Find Flow

Most people think they are at their best when they’re in their comfort zone. You might imagine that you’re at your happiest while relaxing by the pool or some other leisurely activity. Whether you’re thinking about performance at work or overall joy, flow theory argues that this line of reasoning is misguided. 

In fact, staying too comfortable can lead to boredom, apathy, and stagnation. If you only do things that are easy for you, you’ll eventually start to resent your work. Too much rest might sound appealing at first, but after a while, it takes its toll. You might notice that you’re falling behind your colleagues or generally feeling unfulfilled. If you only delegate tasks to your team that are a no-brainer, you are wasting efforts and missing out on both productivity and wellbeing at work. This can contribute both to your burnout and their disengagement. 

It might be counterintuitive, but research from Mihaly Csikszentmihályi and others has shown that we’re actually at our best when we’re being stretched. Think of this as operating at the edge of your comfort zone, where the task at hand requires conscious and deliberate effort to be successful. We all know that too much challenge can lead to anxiety and stress, but it actually requires an appropriate level of challenge to get us in an optimal state where both performance and engagement are improved. 

Think back to the last time you felt like you were at your best--either at work or at play. You might have noticed that time seemed to fly by as you were completely absorbed in what you were doing. It was likely an embodied experience, where you felt “out of your own head” and physically engaged. You probably felt total enjoyment and even bliss in the present moment.

These are all elements of the flow state. It’s characterized by feeling energized, happy, and performing at your best. Rather than coming from a relaxing, comfortable moment, flow actually occurs when you are deeply immersed in something challenging. It’s a delicate balance, but one that’s crucial to learn so that you can maximize performance and wellbeing at work. Whether you’re trying to increase your own productivity or that of your team, here are some practical steps to leverage the power of flow:

1. Remove distractions. This is common knowledge, but not common practice. How often are you in a zoom meeting and hear the ping of text messages or slack chat? In a world of constant notifications, it’s increasingly important to put things away and set aside a specific chunk of time to do just one thing. Trying to multitask is a losing game--we suffer from “attention residue,” or lost focus when we are constantly switching from one context to another. Try the Pomodoro technique where you focus on a single task for 25 minutes at a time, before a short break and moving on to the next singular focus.
2. Create an appropriate level of challenge for your skill. This is the most important aspect of flow and a pre-condition for the next step. Experiment with what gradient of challenge is right for you at the level you’re currently at. It’s best if you can get immediate feedback or work with a coach who can support you in fine-tuning the level of stretch--just like a physical trainer would in a gym. This requires a precise level of challenge that matches or just slightly exceeds your competence. In fact, operating at consistently higher levels of challenging activity is the best way to learn and grow your level of competence.
3. Set a clear goal and measure of progress. If you know precisely what you are working on and how you will track success, that creates an environment where you are more likely to thrive. Provide yourself and your team with a vision to work towards and a structure to support them along the way. This will help you keep track of your efforts and course-correct as needed.

What would you be capable of if you were able to tap into the power of flow more often?

If you want individualized support and a coach to help you find your flow, schedule your free 20-minute discovery session now. I’ll help you create a powerful vision, transform your inner obstacles into your greatest opportunities, and craft a plan for greater success.

References: 

Csikszentmihályi, M.; Abuhamdeh, S. & Nakamura, J. (2005), "Flow", in Elliot, A. (ed.), Handbook of Competence and Motivation

Leroy, Sophie. "Why is it so hard to do my work? The challenge of attention residue when switching between work tasks." Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes (2009)