The eight factors of flow
Mihályi Csíkszentmihályi - the master of flow - talks about eight aspects
- Clarity of Goals and Immediate Feedback
- When going on a mountain hike, the objectives are clear—reaching the summit or a particular viewpoint. Along the way, hikers can regularly check if they are on the right path and how far they still have to go. In a similar way in the workplace, it's important to discuss with your colleagues and supervisors the goals you want to achieve, both before and during a task. Regularly exchange feedback and updates on your progress.
- Deep Focus on a Specific Task
- Being preoccupied with thoughts about an upcoming team meeting, a conference next week, personal issues, or getting distracted by the news makes it difficult to enter a state of flow. On the other hand, by immersing yourself completely in the present activity, you can achieve this state of effortless concentration.
- The Balance Between Challenges and Skills
- A crucial factor for experiencing flow is finding the optimal balance between a person's skills and the demands of a task. If the task is too difficult, you may feel anxious, nervous, tense, and frustrated. On the other hand, if a project is too easy or consists of many routine tasks, boredom can quickly set in. As mentioned earlier, both over- and under-challenge are the biggest enemies of flow.
- The Sense of Control
- In the context of flow, control does not mean that you completely "master" the situation. Instead, it refers to the feeling of being completely at ease and free from anxiety.
- The Effortlessness of the Activity
- A central element of the flow state is that the task seems to proceed effortlessly, with everything flowing smoothly. While outsiders may perceive the effort involved, internally, the activity feels very easy. For example, when jogging, you might sweat, but the steady movement can feel as natural as if you had never done anything else.
- The Altered Perception of Time
- In the flow state, your perception of time changes: it either seems to fly by or stretch out. Csíkszentmihályi also refers to the flow state as "timeless."
- The Merging of Action and Awareness
- Typically, we perceive ourselves and our actions as separate entities. In the flow state, the person and the action merge into one. This can occur while playing a musical instrument, hiking in nature, or even while working at your desk.
- The Autotelic Quality of the Flow Experience: IROI
- When in the flow state, the focus is not primarily on the outcome of the activity. The work itself becomes the goal. In ancient Greek, "auto" means self, and "telos" means goal. In modern terms, the activity in the flow state represents an "Immediate Return on Investment" (IROI).
