Entering the 'Flow State'- Hacks to Boost Creativity

-M. Roshan Ganesh

Intern, Mind Splatters, May-July 2024

Have you ever been so immersed in a task that you often forgot your basic needs such as sleep, food, etc., and forgot the passage of time? This is probably one of the perfect ways to explain the concept of ‘Flow state’. The concept of Flow and its impact on human behavior and creativity was put forth and extensively studied by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Flow can be defined as a state in which people are so involved in the activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at a great cost. Everyone can strive to achieve the flow, regardless of their age, background, or environment. It all depends on their ability to stay attentive and utilize the environment in their favor to be able to set goals and achieve them.

The flow state is neither considered good nor bad. It simply enables us to relish the moments and enjoy life more intensely. Entering this state can be compared to a feeling of euphoria; it is temporary but intense. To enter this state of flow, the task needs to be just within our grasp; we should be able to achieve it if we push ourselves a little more; the experience should be timeless; the focus shouldn’t be on ourselves but on the task; our goals should be apparent; and lastly, all our mental and physical resources must be redirected towards the purpose of accomplishing the task.

 Creativity is the ability to come up with novel and unique ideas to solve the problem at hand. There are several ways in which one can boost their creativity. Practicing gratitude trains the brain to focus on the positive aspects of life, which in turn influences our mood, enabling us to devise new solutions. Other methods to develop creativity include a good night’s sleep, exercise, and mindfulness techniques. Exercise lowers the stress hormones while simultaneously increasing the secretion of happy hormones like dopamine, serotonin, etc. Similarly, mindfulness practices help you improve your attention and concentration levels; they also help you develop divergent thinking, allowing you to come up with new ideas and possibilities without using up all your cognitive resources.

There are multiple ways to boost one’s creativity. Entering the “Flow state” helps us improve our productivity and creativity tenfold by tapping into our hidden potential. It enables the individual to break past mental barriers and step out of their comfort zone effortlessly. Two of the key elements in this process are planning and preparation. Time management and a comprehensive systematic approach can help one improve their productivity. Apart from these steps, individuals need to also incorporate regular breaks and leisure time in their schedule. A walk down the street, some quality time with your loved one, and playing with your pet not only act as natural stress mitigators but also help with reducing the mental load thereby helping improve creativity. The ancient Greek scholar Archimedes also has his ‘Eureka’ monument while relaxing in his bathtub. 

Acquiring complete control over a skill, allows us to accomplish the respective task without exerting much mental effort. This enables us to enter a very unique trance-like state where we are in control of our senses but at the same time, we can openly express our thoughts, and feelings without any barriers.  Entering the flow state allows us to momentarily experience a temporary feeling of satisfaction, and hedonic happiness closely followed by a cathartic release of pent-up feelings and emotional burdens.   

To conclude the state of flow enables us to think out of the box and come up with unique solutions to a given problem. Flow state is relatively achieved by everyone regardless of age and experience. One of the key requirements of the flow state is to practice a new skill or task repeatedly until it becomes second nature. This not only improves productivity and efficiency but also fosters a tranquil state of mind that enables think clearly and make better decisions.