By: Maria McConville, MS, RDN, CPT*
Have you ever been so fully immersed in doing something that you lost all track of time? You feel like it’s been 15 minutes, but look at the clock and realize it’s been hours. Chances are you felt the sense of effortless concentration and complete enjoyment doing that activity. And chances are you were experiencing “flow.”
I love walking on the beach, especially at sunset. Watching the waves crash into the shore, spotting manna rays or dolphins, laughing at the birds dive-bombing into the water for their dinner, and marveling at the sun’s colorful glow take me to my happy place. The beach and all its splendor help me experience a sense of calm and clarity at the end of a long day filled with work and personal obligations. I can walk for a long time—not noting exactly where I’m going, what time it is, or even how much time has passed. This experience is called flow.
Founder of flow
I’ve been introduced to the concept of flow several times in my life: professionally—during my training as a health and wellness coach—and as a volunteer Spouse Master Resilience Trainer with the Army. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi says that when we find flow, there’s no room for conflict or contradiction. This is known as “being in the zone.”Goals and feedback
How is flow different than simply unplugging and relaxing (as in mindlessly watching TV)? When in flow, there’s a clear set of goals and some feedback. And flow usually includes a reasonable challenge that’s within your ability, as well as time or environmental constraints. If the bar is set too low, we experience boredom. If the bar is raised too high, we feel frustrated. The goal of my sunset beach walk, for example, is to find calmness, breathe deeply, decompress, and let go. The centering that transcends is the prompt feedback. Many athletes describe experiencing flow when they’re engaged in their sport. The goals are clear and the feedback is immediate. The tasks are also challenging, reasonable, and often enjoyable.Some might find flow when solving tough problems, analyzing spreadsheets, gardening, hiking, listening to music, painting, or doing other activities. You can find flow just about anywhere.
More flow needed
Only 1 in 5 Americans say they experience flow regularly, and 15% say they’ve never felt the wonder of flow. Studies show those who experience flow on a regular basis are happier and less self-conscious, though growth and meaning are more important. The need for material possessions, comfort, power, and fame isn’t the goal because being in flow has its own rewards. Looking for more flow in your life? Do more of what you’re interested in, but haven’t yet made the effort.- Prioritize, organize, and streamline your daily routine to have more energy for fun activities.
- Explore your curiosity.
- Strive for energy management instead of time management.
- Find tasks that help you use your signature strengths.
- Do activities for pure pleasure and let go of pursuing things such as money, power, or recognition.
Military Service Members, Warfighters, and athletes perform optimally even in the face of major challenges, and have described being in the zone or in flow. Read up on HPRC’s action steps to enhance performance to go with the flow.
Dan Buettner, researcher and author of The Blue Zones, sums up how I view being in flow:
“If one fails to develop goals that give meaning to one’s existence, if one does not use the mind to its fullest, then good feelings fulfill just a fraction of the potential we possess. True happiness involves the pursuit of worthy goals. Without dreams, without risks, only a trivial semblance of living can be achieved.”
* The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of USU or DoD. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and do not reflect the views, opinions, or policies of The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The author has no financial interests or relationships to disclose.