How Do I Enter The Flow State

In positive psychology, a flow state, also known colloquially as being in the zone, is the mental state in which a person performing some activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the action. In essence, flow is characterized by the complete absorption in what one does and a resulting transformation in one's sense of time.

There are several steps I take to enter the flow zone. First, I will set very tangible goals(USE THE SMART RULES) before I dive into my daily work or study. Setting a goal like I want to do better will only confuse my mind. Instead of being vague, specific, tangible goals and tasks can help me understand more and what I need to do to achieve that goal.

Second, try to avoid multitasking. Many people choose to listen to music or podcastS when they are working or doing homework, watching youtube videos during lunch and dinner, or just playing some background music when they do nonproductive activities. But I hold a different perspective in this part. People are habits driven. After we try to multitask for a few times, multitasking can become a habit, and when we need to focus on something, we will found out that we lost that ability already. 

I always question why I shouldn't multitask when I do nonproductive activities like organizing my room and laundry. I feel these are activities that do not need a deep layer of focus, so I can leverage it and do something simultaneously. But if we shift our mindset to a different perspective, why can't we leverage doing nonproductive activities to practice, train our focus and discipline ability. Enhancing a habit or ability always requires deliberate practice, but think about do we intentionally create opportunities to do deliberate practice for Discipline and Focus abilities.   

Third step. I will give feedbacks to myself right away, so my mind can realize what I am doing good and what I can improve. We always say flow state can provide us with satisfaction. I believe that's the byproduct of the third step. Just imagine, every single day, you set tangible goals and achieve that with a single mind, so when you finish those daily goals, you can always feel proud about what you have done and how accountable you are.