How do you get into flow state?

So many times I have made the mistake of sitting in front of my computer saying "I'm gonna get some work done now". Unfortunately, more often than not that resulted in me not doing what I really should be doing.

Now I try to have a clear goal for each session, listen to brain.fm and get going.

It's usually a process for me as well. I typically have to be feeling good to begin with which means, I got my morning workout in. After that it's typically:

1. Closing my office door if the family is around.
2. Putting on music or white noise.
3. Phone is on do not disturb.
4. Have my list of work already figured out long before I sit down.

Sometimes it's good to pay attention to your process. If you're trying to figure out what works for you, it would be good to really pay attention to the times you feel you're in your "flow state". This way you can try and figure out what you did that worked. Look for patterns or things that work for you. One good example of this for me is, it takes me some time to warm up so I know I need to get all of the above right first. Then I need a good 5-10 minutes of concentration before I get there. It's hard to stay focused in that first 5-10 minutes. I know this so I'm prepared for distractions.

1. Get a good sleep in (#1 most important)
2. Put your phone away (remove distractions)
3. Have a todo list ready (don't waste time planning)
4. Put on some lofi or binaural beats (drown out noise)

Go get that Win, you'll feel better afterwards💪

In think in my case, especially when I'm working on my latest project - it's kind of spontaneous. I really have no specific steps that I consciously go through in order to get into it. It's in a way a passion project of mine, and it happens spontaneously.

I'm afraid I can't do it of my own will. I just can see when it is, when it's not. It all depends on the tasks I'm doing and the current level of motivation. If a task is boring or my motivation is low, nothing else matters and flow state is not achieved. :-(

• have a todo list of what you want to work on

• whenever there is a dissonance, put it on your todo list and let it go.

i.e. say you work on something and encounter a secondary problem, put it on the list and continue with what you were doing, keeping your concentration and a good spirit.

• electronic music

For me it's about deleting tabs that aren't the one I'm focused on, and also putting my phone away as someone here also mentioned. Getting into a flow state, I find, is also about getting good sleep and dieting. If your not rested and healthy, your brain will struggle too.

So it's not just about the work conditions, but also conditions outside of work that impact how you work. That my 2 cents, anyway.

Hey @mcwueste,

These are some things that work for me:

1. Getting rid of any possible distract, I like to put my phone away from my desk when working to prevent me from randomly checking it.

2. Noise-canceling headphones.

3. Change of environment, not sure what it is about this but something going to coffeeshop or library that just make it easier to get into the flow state.

I would recommend the book "Deep Work" by Cal Newport! it is a great read into this subject.

For me it's a mix of following a certain routine (requiring discipline), good planning so that I am not too rushed (requiring foresight) and sheer luck.

Even if I manage to replicate these conditions, there are still random factors (weather, how much sleep I had etc.) that seem to heavily influence how easy and often I get into flow.

I think it depends on the type of task.

For something like coding, my brain gravitates to a flow state naturally- I've been coding for 10+ years, so it's pretty ingrained at this point. For more bite sized tasks like marketing, being on forums, etc, it might be more difficult to "flow" if you're not well practised at.

Get in the mood - reset yourself
Start
Get curious and absorbed
Optional: Play a track on repeat

my flow state recipe:

• workout regularly
• put effort into my appearance (feel good, feel confident = more likely to smash it)
• tell my biz partner/boyfriend/friend what im gonna be doing that day (accountability)
• work at a busy cafe or coworking space with my office door open (i work best in chaotic/noisy environments)
• put an energizing instrumental playlist on
• use toggl to record how long im taking
• screen-free breaks (trip to bathroom/kitchen/outside)

more tips: impossible to get into flow state straight after a big meal, so if i need to get into that mindset i'll fast/light breakfast and try do it in the morning.

context: i'm a content writer/copywriter and co-own a content writing agency.

@mcwueste - You are probably familiar with Steven Kotler and the flow research collective by now. I think in two distinct problem domains: "Art" and "Business". The way I stay enthusiastic is to treat coding as Art. I do not mean this to sound arrogant or like I am Artiste' or something - it's just a mindset that I am engaging in my craft and that it is autotelic. It is valuable to me simply because I am doing it. I do get frustrated. I do have struggles. But that is because there is a natural rhythm of struggle/release/flow/recovery.

Here are my keys, which may be helpful...

• Clear goals (even if those are micro-goals like "wire up this data structure to a database")
• Immediate feedback - hot reload in Android studio for flutter is awesome
• Control of my environment. Finding the right amount of visual & auditory stimulation is key. I use the exact same techno beat to get into it.
• Correct challenge/skills balance. I will get frustrated if things are beyond my skill level or bored if something is not challenging enough.

Hope this helps!

Craig