FLOW STATE - Entering the Coveted Zone
Athletes like Michael Jordan taking over a game by scoring seven three-pointers in a row, Laird Hamilton surfing 70 feet waves or Alex Honnold free-soloing 2000 metres of rock are all able to do so, not just because of their athletic prowess - they all talk about being able to “get in the zone” which allows them to focus and be immersed in the moment.
Dubbed the ‘Flow State’, this zone is accessible to everyone - whether you’re engaged in a physical activity, a creative pursuit, or even a simple task.
Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, who coined and researched the concept, stated that several people describe their "flow" experiences using the metaphor of a water current carrying them along. When he attempted to identify the key components that define the flow state, the people interviewed used these statements to summarize their subjective experience of flow -
“You’re totally involved in what you’re doing. You’re completely focused and concentrated.”
“There’s a sense of ecstasy — of being outside everyday reality.”
“There’s great inner clarity. You know what needs to be done and you get immediate feedback on how well you’re doing.”
“You know that the activity is doable and that you have the necessary skills to complete the task successfully.”
“You lose your sense of self, and all of your worries and excuses drift away.”
“You lose track of time and you’re fully focused on the present moment.”
“There’s an intrinsic motivation — whatever produces flow becomes its own reward.”
We at Be.Fore bring together cutting edge behavioural science, psychology and technology with a holistic approach, rooted in ancient methodologies to unlock flow and help individuals access the best version of themselves every day. A few of the modalities we use to help individuals train to achieve flow state are listed below.
Neurofeedback
Using EEG equipment, along with Visualization techniques, individuals are taught how to train and generate brain waves that will help them achieve flow state in a simulated environment. In order to train individuals and challenge them progressively, varying levels of cognitive tasks are introduced in sessions as part of their training.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback allows for individuals to explore and understand the connection between the mind and body. Biofeedback equipment helps individuals modulate their physiological responses to simulated stress and other cognitive tasks prescribed during training.
The training and equipment objectively showcases physiological markers like heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance and respiratory rate and pattern; and allows for the individual to voluntarily control what were once thought to be automatic bodily processes. Doing this helps achieve the ideal physiological and cognitive state to facilitate the “flow” experience to happen.
Mindfulness Techniques
By training the mind to become more present and actively creating conditions that help individuals observe when they get distracted, what gets them distracted, and then return to the object of focus, we use Mindfulness Techniques to amplify the ability to focus their attention on what they need to.
References
Mihály Csíkszentmihályi (1975). Beyond boredom and anxiety. Jossey-Bass Publishers. pp. 10–. ISBN 978-0-7879-5140-5. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
https://optimumedge.ca/brain-training/state-of-flow/
https://davidsortino.blogs.pressdemocrat.com/10244/neurofeedback-how-to-get-into-the-zone/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2939454/
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/neuro-linguistic-programming-elt