You hear a lot about working in a “flow state,” but what does that actually mean? At first, it seems like one of those corporate jargon words, but it’s actually much deeper than that. It’s a state of mind that allows you to have that in-the-zone feeling, but is also backed up by a ton of psychological research.
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Psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi came up with this theory in 1970. He proposed that a flow state is comparable to when a person is floating and carried along by water: his brain works so efficiently that he can move straight ahead without any problems and is propelled forward.
He spent his time interviewing artists and athletes at the height of their powers to understand when and how they performed at their peak, and how ordinary people can also tap into a “flow” state. He wrote many books on the subject, but the eight most important characteristics of flow you need to know are listed below.
Csíkszentmihályi's work ultimately describes eight distinct characteristics of being in flow:
