Every professional seeks a state of flow: that feeling of concentration or complete absorption in a task where nothing else seems to matter. Distractions disappear. Hours seem like minutes. Production and success seem effortless.

In 1975, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi coined the flow concept, now also known as “being in the zone.” It all sounds great right? But modern corporate culture seems like the last place to reach a flow state, with constant meetings, emails, and digital distractions competing for the increasingly short attention spans of employees.

But good news: we believe that a flow state is not only possible, but necessary to create a performance mindset that unlocks creativity, supercharges performance, and leaves employees feeling their best. Now more than ever, in a world of digital distraction and more workers toiling remotely, it’s crucial to harness the power of flow.

“When you’re having the best moments of your life professionally, there’s usually a flow state involved,” says Chris Bertram, Senior Director of Applied Neuroscience at Exos. “There’s a tremendous power to be leveraged in that experience where you’re performing better and feeling better in the process.”

What is flow state?

There are eight characteristics of flow state:

1. Clear goals

To reach a flow state, you need a clear goal in mind. But just as a student who is focused only on memorization to pass a test misses the opportunity to build long-term knowledge and wisdom, a flow state is about the enjoyment of the process more than the goal itself.

After all, when people look back fondly on their successes, they tend to savor the memories of how they felt during the process rather than the outcome it produced.

2. Complete concentration

In a flow state, we’re utterly consumed to the point where we almost don’t have to think — instead acting almost automatically. By focusing on a task, it’s almost impossible to notice anything outside of that field. Irrelevant information is filtered from consciousness, producing a heightened focus on the job at hand.

3. Time distortion

In flow state, time seems to pass by at a greatly accelerated rate, with hours feeling like minutes. Many people in a flow state will work through lunchtime by several hours without realizing they may be hungry.

But in flowstate time also can go in the opposite direction where time slows to almost a freeze-frame effect. Athletes in a flow state or “in the zone” will report feeling like they had longer to hit a ball, make a catch, or return a serve.

4. Being present

Even with time distorted in a flow state, there’s a feeling of being in the present. There are no regrets from the past, no baggage of previous experiences creating doubt, nor worries about the future. The focus is completely on the present and the task at hand. There’s no room in the consciousness for the past or the future.

5. In control

There’s a sense of control, a deep sense of autonomy, and command of one’s self and the environment in a flow state. There’s a high degree of confidence that goals will be achieved and a strong sense of personal agency over one’s ability to meet or surpass those challenges. It’s not overconfidence, but rather a feeling that because of our skills developed from tireless preparation, we can cope with the situation.

6. Action and awareness merge

A deep level of involvement is experienced whereby actions or activities feel spontaneous and automatic. Normally our thoughts can be preoccupied with doubts based on past events, or worries about things yet to come. In flow, thought and action merge seamlessly, unfold automatically, and with little or no internal chatter. There’s no room for worry or fear as performers become one with their actions.

7. Effortlessness

In a flow state, everything works effortlessly. In sports, the player feels no physical strain. A golfer or batter barely feels the connection of a club or bat blasting a ball. The right decisions are made automatically as if the mind has gone on autopilot. Much like time becomes distorted in a flow state, so too does effort. Someone reaching a flow state during a home improvement project, for instance, might not experience the same physical burden of many hours of work were they not experiencing flow.

8. Decreased inhibition

Flow decreases inhibitions and self-doubt. While at the extremes this can lead to risk-taking behaviors, more often this loss of self-doubt results in a feeling of liberation from self-consciousness along with increased freedom of expression, confidence, and creativity.

What are the benefits of a flow state?

This list above already sounds pretty great, but let’s get more specific. A flow state isn’t just a natural mental high. It’s a temporary condition that produces massive results and a level of fulfillment and satisfaction that comes from complete absorption in the task at hand.

Better performance.

Flow states boost performance and productivity in many areas, including the workplace, sports, and leisure activities. Think of the writer who knocks out 5,000 words in one afternoon sitting in a noisy coffee shop, the basketball player who sinks a dozen consecutive three-point shots in a hostile arena, or the pianist who looks up from what seemed like a 30-minute practice session and finds that three hours have passed.

Increased creativity.

Flow states result while engaged in creative tasks like writing, singing, or performing music. But the flow state produces deeper creative thinking at work, creating a high-performance cycle. It’s why the inspiration for iconic songs can come from unusual places. Often, it’s not as much the setting or emotion but the flow state that triggers the burst of creativity.

Greater fulfillment.

There’s tremendous satisfaction from grinding out a project or seeing weeks of hard work come to fruition. But sometimes those many hours (or years) of practice pay off in flow-state bursts of accomplishment, making them more enjoyable. Having fun with a task, especially in a flow state, makes it more rewarding. It’s why music, sports, and physical training become lifelong pursuits for so many people. They’re able to reach a consistent flow state.

Greater efficiency.

Flow states result in greater levels of production. More can be accomplished, allowing one to work longer if that’s the goal. Or, if the goal is to get work done faster to enjoy other things, a flow state can help accomplish that, too.

Continued development.

By experiencing the higher performances of a flow state, it’s possible to realize that not only is such peak accomplishment possible, but that one’s baseline level of production can be much higher. That contributes to continued development, especially among high achievers struggling to reach a new level of success.

How to achieve a flow state at work

Reaching a flow state is challenging in a modern workplace that includes email, instant messaging, smartphones, and other digital distractions that did not exist 25 years ago. A flow state requires undivided concentration on a task, a complete feeling of control over it, and a lost sense of time. Those are major challenges, Bertram says, in a workplace culture where colleagues and clients expect immediate responses, frequent meeting attendance, and multitasking.

Bertram stresses that flow is a four-stage cycle of struggle, release, flow, and recovery. “You don’t go from zero to flow,” he says. “There’s always a struggle at the beginning that provides access to flow.” Here are six ways, Bertram says, to achieve a flow state at work.

1. Schedule it.

Bertram says it’s important to recognize when you’re most wired to do the type of work that would put you in a flow state. Some people are night owls, but more seem predisposed to reaching a flow state in the morning. “Have an understanding of when your attention seems to be sharpest,” he says. “If your schedule and biology align, that’s the time to get certain work done, where you can stay focused and motivated and reach that flow state.”

The prolific author Stephen King explained in his book “On Writing” that he writes at least 2,000 words a day, starting in the morning. If he reaches that goal by lunchtime, he allows himself to stop, unless the flow state continues into the afternoon. But he does not quit writing for the day until at least 2,000 words, usually reaching that goal within four to six hours.

2. Create a Ritual.

In the early days of the pandemic when people were new to working at home, some struggled to create a flow state — or even a modest level of production — since it shook up their rituals. Either there were too many distractions or it was too quiet.

Some people need quiet to reach a flow state at work.

Others prefer the chaos of a crowded office or coffee shop.

Some need loud music or soothing instrumental tunes.

Whatever your flow state preference, create a consistent ritual, including the same time and setting. Sticking to it will more likely place you in a better position to reach flow.

3. Focus on just one thing.

Flow follows focus, Bertram says, noting that focus is a chemical process where adrenaline and dopamine drive flow. “Distraction is the opposite,” he says. “The low-hanging fruit is to minimize distractions by putting the phone away, closing browsers, shutting the office door and doing everything you can to increase your chances of finding flow. Distraction is a flow killer.”

Silence your phone.

Ignore email.

Turn off notifications.

Use anti-distraction apps if necessary.

Schedule meetings and tend to busywork later in the day.

4. Stay hydrated.

To reach flow, let the water flow. Dehydration can hurt performance, and not just on the athletic field. Start the day by drinking 16 ounces of water upon waking. Though you might not feel thirsty, you’re dehydrated after sleep.

Wherever your day takes you — or even if you work from home — continue to drink water. Even minor dehydration impairs concentration, coordination, and reaction time, making it difficult to reach a flow state. Drink ½ to 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day to maintain hydration.

Don’t mistake feelings from caffeine (or even nicotine) as flow state. This is not a flow state but rather a temporary, artificially-induced burst that does not produce the results or rewards of a natural flow state.

5. Sleep.

Without sleep, you cannot function at your best or reach a flow state. During sleep, your body can repair, restore, and lock in all that you’ve learned that day. Your body does the same. This is where the majority of your hormones, such as growth hormone and testosterone are released. It’s when your fascia, muscles, and neuromuscular system upgrade from the stimulus you gave it earlier.

Sleep is one area where it’s possible to drastically improve performance without putting forth greater physical effort or resources. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a night, preferably 8, and make it at a consistent time so it will become effortless.

6. Take movement breaks.

Movement and a flow state go together. Use some intentional movement to encourage your brain to prepare for a flow state. You can try:

An early morning pre-work training session that releases endorphins and sets the tone for the day

A break during the work period to stretch and reset posture

A 15-minute stretch or recharge break after the deep-work, flow-state period before heading off to meetings

Bertram suggests that within the four-stage cycle of struggle, release, flow, and recovery, recovery is the key. “If you’re not recovered from sleep and microbreaks to manage energy,” he says, “good luck finding flow.”

How long does flow state last?

Some people look back at a period of their lives and marvel at all they accomplished, as if they were in a flow state for days, weeks, even months. This was not literally the case, though they might have been reaching a flow state consistently in their work over an extended period and produced massive results.

In reality, a flow state might last 30 minutes or less or it could go on for the better part of a workday. By following the recommendations above, you’re more likely to extend the length of your flow state.

How will you incorporate flow at work?

If you’ve been feeling unfocused and stalled at work, taking even the first step of blocking time on your calendar to focus on one task at a time is going to help, even if you don’t experience that flow state right at first.

One note though: just because a flow state is a desirable feeling and great for productivity, that doesn’t mean we want to be in a flow state 24/7. The reason flow state is so powerful is because it’s a limited focus time. When you’re not in moments of this deep work, it’s important to let your mind recover and your body regenerate.

The Game Changer, our immersive six-week coaching experience, will help employees find that flow state and more, gaining access to the knowledge and tools necessary to expand the value they create – at work and in life. There are game changers unique to every industry but they share common traits: they’re experts at cutting through the noise, taking risks, identifying gaps and creating opportunities. In this program, your team will use both mind and body to hone those game-changing instincts so they can up their impact at work and in life in ways they didn’t think possible.