Flow States: How the Brain Minimizes Energy Output to Put You in the Zone

We’ve all had moments of genius, where an idea neatly flows into implementation and successful completion, where we become completely absorbed in a task or project. Creative ideas come through sometimes without planning and everything seems to happen in slow motion. This is common among artists, musicians, dancers, writers, speakers, and some athletes such as skiers and footballers.

Unfortunately, we can’t be in a flow state all the time. If we were, our brains would not be able to make evaluations and decisions, solve problems or analyze information. Many artistic types who spend much of their time in flow don’t see the value of managing the rest of their life. Grooming and household chores are mundane and tedious to them and anything to do with the business end of their endeavors is lost.

The prefrontal cortex governs problem solving, data collection, pattern recognition, planning, thought analysis, risk-reward assessment, will power, urge suppression, moral decisions, and evaluating and benefiting from experience. When you get into a flow state naturally because you’re only motivation is being completely involved in the activity for its own sake, the brain turns off some of its features, including the prefrontal cortex, literally freeing mental bandwidth so you get laser focus. This is called transient or temporary hypo-frontality.

Ego is not active and you begin to merge your awareness of the action with the action itself. You lose all self-consciousness and personal reflection. You don’t self-monitor as you go along because your logical linear mind is turned off. You don’t try to think yourself through the next move. You effortlessly choose in each moment and make adjustments and course corrections simultaneously as you work. You’re in the zone.

How do you hack a flow state?

Flow is a state of super awareness and all characteristics of being there happen simultaneously.

• Concentration - intense and focused on the present moment.
• Personal control over the activity - everything seems to be happening through you rather than because of you.
• Time distortion - you lose track of time because your sense of self fades and you have hyper-focused awareness.
• Motivation - an experience of the task at hand being intrinsically rewarding; if there’s no sense of meaning, there will be no motivation.
• Challenge and skill must be equal - the highest level of flow is achieved when it’s matched with a high skill level.

If you want to experience flow more often you must be curious and persistent with a passion for the activity or subject. You must prefer challenges that stimulate and motivate you. The intensity of the situation you willingly put yourself into can put you into flow.

But passion and drive are not enough to bring about high-intensity flow.

• Learn the ropes or fundamentals of a skill.
• Stretch beyond your comfort zone but don’t make it too difficult.
• Learn in stages.

A musician who gets on stage and fluidly improvises has practiced many years. He doesn’t have to think about where the keys or strings are. He can simultaneously play the instrument and create the sound he wants without analyzing it. There is no thinking process involved. He’s in flow. You must prepare until the fundamentals are second nature.

Flow states are not limited to artistic endeavors. You can reach flow doing math or problem solving, running, in competition, doing housework or working on an assembly line. As long as you’re motivated and see the intrinsic value in an effort, you can reach flow.

Getting into the Zone

A good way to get into flow is through meditation. During meditation you create new neural pathways and open up more brain neurons to being more focused. Practicing meditation will teach you how to get into flow state but it can take many years of persistence to master. Most people can’t stick with it long enough to get to the level they want to achieve.

Brain wave technology has been used by more than 2 million people in 193 countries and has been researched and studied at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York. Using 15 Minute Manifestation you get all the benefits and brain wave patterns of lifelong meditational practice without the learning curve, without the struggle, in about 1/8 the time.

Your passions serve an essential purpose. They keep you balanced and energized and give you optimism and a rich inner life. Your brain is the only thing that can put you into a state of flow. You may fail several times, but at some point, you’ll come out of flow only to realize that you’ve actually been there.