Don’t worry, be happy! Make the most out of your independent professional journey by tapping into your FLOW STATE!

Friday: Everson’s High-P Fridays FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: Chess players. Ultra-marathon runners. Prolific artists. Do you have any idea what these people have in common? They consistently nail the Flow State―that optimal experience known as “THE ZONE,” where awesome feats become normal occurrences. The good news is that you can attain this experience too even when you’re not much familiar with it. Read on to know how you can achieve a successful Flow State through science-backed tips stated in American author Dave Asprey’s blog. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

Don’t worry, be happy! Make the most out of your independent professional journey by tapping into your FLOW STATE! According to Stella Grizont, founder and CEO of WOOPAAH, a socially driven company that unleashes creativity, connection, and freedom using positive psychology, play, and art, “True engagement is when we are so lost at the task at hand that we lose a sense of time and space. We even forget ourselves, our ego, and its ruminations.” What Grizont said (quote above) was one aspect of Flow State. In other words, Flow State is the experience of complete absorption in a particular endeavor. It’s that time in your life when you not only performed your best, but also felt amazing! Here are 8 characteristics of a flow state: Complete concentration on a task Clarity of goals Transformation of time Intrinsically rewarding experience Effortlessness and ease Balance between challenge and skills Actions merge with awareness Feelings of control over the task The combination of neurobiological effects on your brain during a flow state provides a lot of benefits. These include: Greater creativity Increased productivity and accelerated learning Less fear Improved athletic performance Better sleep Enhanced happiness However, before you experience these benefits, you first have to know that getting into a flow state is also a skill and there are specific practices that will help you attain it. Here are 3 science-backed ways to tap into your flow state: Meditation This activity helps you tap into your own stillness. Aside from that, meditation also increases your creativity and happiness and curbs stress and anxiety. Here’s how you can tap into your flow state through meditation: Find a peaceful and quiet place to sit. Close your eyes and allow your breath to settle. Become an observer of your own inner terrain. As you do this exercise, you’ll notice that the thoughts in your mind are not you―they are simply passing through you. Allow yourself to be fully in this state for 10 to 20 minutes. The more you do this meditation, the more attached you’ll become to your flow state. Heart Rate Variability Training (HRV) This technique teaches you to consciously synchronize your brainwaves and heartbeat so you can attain a calm focus. Like meditation, the HRV guides you into your own flow state. The only difference is that you get real-time feedback through an HRV sensor. Regardless of that, HRV is beneficial for the flow state because it offers a balance between a challenge and a skill. Plus, there’s always room for improvement! You can also easily track your progress as you consistently conduct HRV Trainings. Sensory Deprivation Based on Taoist traditions, the flow state is inextricably linked to water. That is why Float tanks, also known as sensory deprivation tanks, are essential in this type of activity to tap into your flow state. In a Float tank, your body is suspended in a light-proof and soundproof chamber with over 1,000 pounds of magnesium salt. In other words, you float free of sensory input without touching anything! This way, your senses are completely deprived of anything that can distract you as you do the activity. This allows your mind to go within and into your flow state. At first, you may think of this activity as “boring and uncomfortable.” However, after a period of time, your mind will start to flow with the water, relax, and let go. This will help you enhance your creativity, which is indicative that you’ve entered your flow state. These are just 3 of the myriad of ways you can tap into your own flow state. In other instances, you may enter your flow state by doing something you’re passionate about such as writing in your journal, connecting with nature, and many more! The key is to be able to perform your best and feel your best. Once you’ve started to “get in the zone,” congratulations! You’ve finally successfully tapped into your own flow state. Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful. Follow us on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for next Friday’s Everson’s High-P Fridays! There are always difficult people around you, at work and even at home. If you don’t approach these people correctly, they will jeopardize your performance as an individual professional. To learn about the scientific ways of dealing with them, don’t miss next week’s Everson’s High-P Fridays!