The experience of flow is almost magical. Being so engaged in what you’re doing that time slips by without notice, and everything else fades into the background. Rather than having to force yourself to finish your assigned tasks, you simply do them, drawing from a seemingly-bottomless well of creativity and ingenuity.
Unfortunately, these days, it more often feels like we’re all in the opposite state. Sluggish and lethargic. Unfocused and unmotivated.
The problem is that we aren’t taking proper care of ourselves. We aren’t sufficiently hydrated. We aren’t well-rested. We aren’t eating healthily enough.
That wears on the body after a while, and as the body gets more worn-down, it starts to wear on the mind, too.
The key, first and foremost, is balance. Establish a set schedule, and train yourself to stick to it through a series of routines such as deep breathing or music. In our experience, human behavior is largely based on neural associations, so by consciously creating new cues for your mind, you can more readily ease into (and out of) the necessary thought patterns, flow, and otherwise.
Beyond that, you also want to avoid putting too much stress on your mind. Eliminate as many distractions as you can. Set clear boundaries, and ask leadership if it’s possible to make accommodations if your current workspace makes it too difficult to concentrate, such as moving you to a quieter area, allowing you to listen to music, or providing you with a noise-canceling headset.
Further, when you are working, focus on one task at a time. Splitting focus between multiple projects will not only make it harder for your mind to enter a creative state, but also has the potential to overwhelm and exhaust you. Pick one task at a time, and stick with it until the task is complete. Make sure it’s something challenging enough to keep you mentally engaged, but not so difficult that it becomes stressful and distracting.
Finally, for each task and for your overall workday, go in with clear goals and outcomes in mind. Make sure they’re reasonable and achievable. And once you’ve attained them and the workday is done, disengage, relax, and recharge.
The above is not a rulebook. It’s a few suggestions to improve your ability to engage in a flow state when you work; to improve your productivity and creativity by taking better care of both your body and your mind. Remember that everyone is unique in how they think.
Figure out what works for you — certain types of exercise, meditation, genres of music, and so on. With a bit of thought, a few adjustments, and some attention to your own energy levels, you can make it much easier to reach peak productivity without running yourself down in the process. Practice makes perfect, and follow-through leads to both health and flow.