Have you ever become so absorbed in making, writing, gardening, solving a problem or learning something that you lost track of time?
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi used the term flow to describe this state of deep concentration and involvement in an activity.
Flow can feel effortless, but it doesn’t necessarily arise without effort.
We are more likely to experience it when we engage with a challenge or interest that stretches our capabilities without overwhelming us. Too little challenge can lead to boredom, while too much may leave us anxious or frustrated. Somewhere between the two is the Goldilocks effect: not too easy, not too difficult – just right, enough to hold our focus.
This is particularly relevant to creativity. We can’t command flow, but we can become more attentive to the activities and conditions that make it possible.
A seriously playful prompt for finding Flow
Think of an activity in which you have experienced deep absorption, or something resembling flow.
What were you doing? What level of challenge did it offer? What helped you concentrate, and what seemed to disappear while you were immersed in it?
Now choose a creative activity and give it an uninterrupted pocket of time. Set yourself a clear but manageable challenge, one that takes you slightly beyond what you would ordinarily do.
As you work, notice when your attention deepens, when it wanders and what helps you return.
You may not find flow on demand, but you may begin to understand, recognise and recreate the conditions that invite it.
You can try this individually or as a team.