8 Ways To Get To Super-Productive Flow Faster

Flow is a mental state in which one is flow immersed in the activity at hand. Flow is really good when you need to get something done. You are focused, working, and not distracted by anything going on around or in you.

Flow state is an excellent place to be when trying to be productive. Most people have experienced it and can recognize it when it happens, but few understand that they can get there on purpose.

Here are 8 ways to get you started.

Make A Focus List

Write a list of no more than five related items you need to focus on right now.

I call your attention to three things in that sentence: “write”, “no more than five” and “related”.

The act of writing puts you in a mode to figure out what to focus on next. The limit of no more than five keeps you from being overwhelmed. And making sure the items are related minimizes cognitive shift, which can sap your concentration.

Having a focus list also allows you to weigh other things against it. You can evaluate each idea that starts bugging you against the list, and if it doesn’t fit in the related items, you can move past it.

Tune Out

Many times when we search for the flow state, every last little sound can grate on us and pull our focus away. (Ever try to work in a room with a dripping faucet?) Tune out to get past this.

While some people will listen to music or podcasts, it is actually better to listen to something less engaging while seeking flow. I like to use Pink Noise or Nature Sounds.

The goal is to find something to mask the distractions, not add to it.

Just Do It

Once you know you want to get to flow and get some things done, you need to get started. Don’t rearrange things on your desk, don’t clear out your email so it won’t distract you. Just get working.

Starting on a project is often half the battle. Get started and you’re halfway to won.

If you feel really unable to start, set a timer for fifteen minutes and tell yourself that if you still feel this way in fifteen minutes, you can stop. Chances are you will be well into the task at that point and on your way to flow.

Stop In Mid-Sentence

To jump-start flow at your next session, stop midway into the next item. This means stop at a place where the next step is obvious. It could be in mid-sentence for writing, mid-brushstroke for painting, or whatever works.

The next time, you will read what you were doing, and pick up in the same train of thought, already moving. Hemingway used this technique. He would stop while the writing was going well, and be able to slip right back into it the next day.

Brain Dump

Since flow is about focusing, we want to eliminate distraction. For many of us, distraction comes as much from our brains jumping around as it does from outside factors.

Writing down everything that is in your mind is a great way to clear it of distractions that may prevent flow. Spend five minutes (or ten at most) and write down everything that pops into your head.

Clearing the decks gives way to an open space to achieve flow.

Move A Muscle

I’ve often heard “move a muscle, change a thought.” I don’t know what the science (if any) is behind this, but getting into a new place by physically moving can often get you started. It may be that switching your environment away from reminders of other things you have to do shifts you into flow.

This may mean going to a different place altogether to work, or even walking around the block and coming back to the task.

Block

If you know that you have the next hour to work on your projects, to the exclusion of everything else, you can slip into flow much easier than if you have five minutes. Blocking out time on your schedule gives you permission to concentrate on the task at hand, knowing you have time to get to everything else later.

Have A Trigger Or Ritual

I apply a technique to fall asleep faster: I have a routine. When I need to get some serious writing done, I hit the shower first. There is something about the pulsating water that puts me in the mind frame where I can produce effortlessly.

Your ritual might be something as simple as pulling out materials and placing them in a certain way or lighting a specific candle. Once the trigger is established, you can use it to get to flow quickly.

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Flow is a powerful state that can dramatically boost your productivity and creativity. By implementing these eight strategies, you can train yourself to enter flow more quickly and consistently. Remember, achieving flow is a skill that improves with practice. So, give these methods a try and watch your productivity soar to new heights.