Being in the flow is arguably the most perfect state to work from. It is a state where your awareness of time almost disappears and you are one with what you do. Although this perfect harmony usually feels effortless, it is the mental state where we produce our greatest results. So you could say flow is the state where peak performance happens.

If we could willingly get into The Zone, how the flow state is also called, especially among athletes, we could use this great state anytime we would want to produce something outstanding.

But how can we get into The Zone?

Directing your Mental Focus

When your mind is your main-processor, your focus is your computer screen. Your mental focus determines where you put your attention and your time. So if you don’t take active control to direct your focus, you risk wasting your ressources. Unless you want to relax, it is much better to set your mental focus on something worthwhile.

Another great benefit of controlling your mental focus is to focus on the good side of life and not so much on the bad side. It sounds funny but our reality is really what we perceive it to be. If you focus on what’s good in your life, your personal goals and what you love your perception of your life will follow. On the other hand you can take your focus away from negative people, news or simple distraction that won’t help you in your personal life.

How to Focus Your Mind to Get Into Flow

Flow Dimensions

Flow happens only when you do something challenging. If it’s boring or too easy to do you just can’t reach that special state, at least that was the finding of Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in his concept of flow.

You also need to do something that requires your highest skill level, something that you really can do very well.

Being an artist like a painter or a musician or a computer graphics designer comes to mind. I personally experienced it by designing 3D-graphics.

From my personal experience I also think you have to focus on something emotionally important to you. Something that „juices“ you by just doing it and you are probably very proud on the end result as well.

#1 Choose your one most important task

To get the most out of your mind you need to concentrate all your attention on exactly one thing and one thing only. It should be something that you are really interested in, your most important task at the moment.

#2 Avoid any distractions by creating the necessary environment

In order to deepen your focus into what you are doing you simply have to make sure that you don’t get interrupted. Set up your working environment accordingly. Close the doors, mute the phone and turn off TV/radio. Consider unplugging from the internet in order to stop you distracting you yourself by surfing somewhere.

If you lose focus by getting interrupted, you lose the depth and therefore the ability to get into flow. So having a quiet space is key.

#3 Focus all your attention with intensity on your task

Dive totally into it what you’re doing. Become one with it. To reach the state of flow you need to be totally focused at your task. Intensity of focus also creates depth. To increase intensity you already avoid being distracted from step 2. Another thing that helps here is when you are emotional and motivated about what you are doing.

You will never fight for getting into flow; that’s not what I mean by intensity. It feels much more effortless. Intensity means simply that you aim for a deep connection and understanding for your task.

#4 Do it for a reasonable period of time, at least 1/2 hour, better more

Flow doesn’t happen in an instant. It builds gradually and takes time. To get into the Zone you need to focus your mind for at least 1/2 hour. Flow happens in the moment when your feeling of time vanishes and you basically forget about time.

I personally reached flow-states after 45 to 75 minutes and stayed there for at least 2 to even 5 hours. My best quality work comes from those times. And also I enjoyed it so much that I almost got addictive to doing it. Or to be less dramatic, I just loved what I did.

#5 Stay with this task until it is finished (!)

To really enjoy and make the most out of the state of flow you have to stay at your task until you are done. If it is a subtask of something bigger then just finish this very part of the task. This is almost more a productivity tip and the ability to focus your mind very effectively helps a lot to be productive and get your stuff done. Since you stay uninterrupted you have the chance to get the most out of yourself for a longer period of time without feeling that you have to put too much effort into it.

Conclusion about Getting in the Flow

Training your mind and develop a sharp mental focus is a key skill for success and self improvement. The ability to get into flow makes personal peak performances possible. It is a great experience and I would love to hear your own ways of getting in the flow or what you experienced being in the Zone.

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