Flow State

Reading Time: 5 Minutes

What Is Flow State?

Flow state = Peak Human Experience.

It’s when you merge with the task you are doing.

This means:

• no thoughts crossing your mind

• complete focus on one thing

• unbelievable productivity and presence

Athletes regularly talk about getting into “the zone”.

It means they’re getting into flow while playing their sport.

Another example:

People often talk about laser focus.

They’re working in flow state.

All terms coined to describe the same experience.

Flow state is universal.

You can get into flow during:

• writing

• speaking

• playing an instrument

• any sport under the lone moon

• martial arts

• wood carving

• ANYTHING

You surely got into flow while playing video games for example.

You as an individual are unique, so you will naturally have tendencies toward certain “Flow State” tasks.

Tasks that you can get into flow fairly easily.

What you are good at naturally, or blessed with genetically.

You have to find them.

How?

Think about when you naturally get into “the zone”, into hyperfocus, into flow state.

It will be an activity you:

• enjoy doing

• are deeply interested in

• is challenging

If you’re reading this, it could be writing.

Another flow state task might be working out in the gym.

It could be playing chess.

It doesn’t matter.

But, you can “force” yourself to get into flow by doing the following.

How To Get Into Flow

Getting into flow can happen naturally.

The problem is, that leaves you out of control.

I get into flow whenever I want to.

The steps I take work for everybody.

Flow blockers are things that will hinder you from getting into flow.

Call them distractions.

1. People

If your mom knocks on your door every 5 minutes, you won’t get into a focused flow state.

Same goes for siblings, spouses, or even pets.

Make sure they won’t just distract you out of nowhere.

Communicate like a normal human being.

In the gym, for example, don’t talk to anyone.

2. Sleep

Don’t STOP sleeping, this is about LACK of sleep.

Your sleep is the foundation of everything you do in the day, physical or mental.

You’ll perform worse when sleeping less.

No matter how hard you try to convince yourself that you can survive on 6 hours a night.

Sleep enough.

3. Diet

Trash diet, trash life.

Trash productivity, trash focus, no flow state.

Best tip I can give you?

Intermittent fasting.

Don’t eat before you want to get into flow state.

4. Task Switching

Multi-tasking is a myth.

There is no such thing as focusing on multiple things at a time or shifting your attention between them every minute.

Flow state is reserved for the hard tasks.

Like typing out this newsletter.

Engaging on X isn’t a deep work task, it’s shallow work.

You switch your attention all the time.

If you want to get into flow, you have to prioritize one thing:

• writing one piece of text

• brainstorm without searching up stuff

• definitely nothing involving messages or scrolling

Don’t task switch.

5. Technology

Turn off all your notifications.

Air Plane mode on, Do Not Disturb on.

Never touch your phone during flow.

The little peek to check a message will 100% destroy the experience.

Don’t bitch about this.

On your computer, have ONE tab open.

Notifications off.

Just type. Nothing else.

6. Thoughts

This is the hardest one to deal with, especially if your attention span is fucked up.

Before you get into flow, you’ll think about:

• what’s going on on X

• what’s for dinner today

• that girl who hasn’t texted you back in 17 hours and 22 minutes

Completely random thoughts, that aren’t helpful for flow.

Flow state is a period where you don’t have any thoughts, right?

So, start meditating.

Not literally, but meditate on work.

Concentrate on whatever you are trying to get done.

NEVER indulge in a thought.

Keep these major flow blockers in mind.

Reduce their negative effects as much as you can.

Preparation is the most important part.

1. Clarify exactly what you’re going to do

Like, specific-specific.

Do this a day beforehand.

Write it in your Google calendar or whatever planner you use.

Example:

→ [At 6 am]: Continue writing the Flow State Newsletter [for 90 min]

What I’m doing right now.

Know:

• what you have to do

• when to do it

• how long you’ll do it

Not like this:

→ I am going to work when I wake up

2. Have everything ready

We want everything to be perfect.

They say don’t aim for perfection, but this is a situation we can try to.

Like this:

• open up the tab or website the day before
  → when you turn on your computer, it’ll be open
  

• get water ready, make all the coffee you need
  → so you don’t have to randomly get up
  

• have a ritual before getting into flow
  → could be breathwork, a music track, whatever

Make a mental checklist of everything you do before a work session.

Or a gym session.

This ritualization of work will make it easy for you to get into flow, consistently.

Ok, we’re in.

You’ve sat down at your desk, you start working.

The only thing stopping you from getting into flow instantly are still, thoughts.

Remeber the work meditation.

Don’t indulge in thoughts, concentrate on what your work task is.

Use your visual system in combination with meditating on the task.

Stare + think about the literal word you’re typing.

Getting into flow feels uncomfortable.

Stay in the trenches, battle your monkey mind, and:

You’ll hit flow.

You won’t notice, as you’ll have no real thoughts.

You’ve become one with the task.

When you’re in that state, get as much done as possible.

It’s will be a lot.

Don’t get up, even avoid going to the toilet if possible.

When you have to pee, your alertness and therefore your focus increases + you’d destroy your workflow by leaving your desk.

There isn’t a lot more to say.

Stay in the zone for as long as possible.

At some point, you won’t be able to hold it together anymore.

• the monkey thoughts come back with brute force

• you start to slouch in your chair

• it becomes super hard to refocus on the task

That’s your brain signaling you it’s done.

You’ve just gone through a brutal mental workout.

Flow state is hard for the brain to fuel for long, which is why your Flow State sessions might last for around 90 minutes. Plus, minus 30.

You can train your brain to go longer.

And with practice, you’ll be able to do more flow state sessions in one day.

One last thing.

You don’t train your biceps in the gym to afterward do more reps at home.

They need recovery.

Your brain does as well.

→ No phone for you after flow state. Stay away from mental stimulation for a few minutes.

Your brain will thank you.

As mentioned, you can get into flow pretty much doing anything that is:

• challenging

• exciting

• fun

The same rules apply: Have a routine, meditate when your mind wanders, etc.

We’re all going to the gym.

Here are a few tips to get into flow while working out:

• get sweaty: warm up with cardio & put on a hoodie

• music/noise canceling: you shouldn’t hear anything

• don’t use your phone at all

The goal isn’t to be social in the gym or engage on X during sets.

The goal is the best workout you’ve ever had. You choose.

Presence is golden in conversations.

People can notice when you’re mind is wandering & drifting.

If → Flow = No Thoughts → We should aim at getting into flow at least in the important conversations we are having.

Guess what.

The same rules apply.

You can’t plan a routine for this, so here is what I like to do:

• refocus on their words if the mind wanders

• focus your visual system on their eyes → Hold eye contact like a normal human

• actively think positive thoughts about the other person (a good tip in general)

Learning this can make a real difference to your relationships.

Thank you for reading!

Flow State is the peak human experience. Work on getting into flow daily.

Keep Improving!

~ Improvement Wolf