What is Flow?

According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, "flow" is a state of heightened focus and immersion in activities such as art, play and work. He argues that this state is directly connected to pleasure and lasting satisfaction in humans. However, it is different for everyone.

Personally, I achieve a state of flow after exercise. If I take a break from my homework to run a mile or do some yoga, I find that my productivity increases greatly. Sitting down for long periods of time has the opposite effect; I feel lethargic and not motivated to do anything.

If you've ever heard the phrase "money can't buy happiness," (more about that here), Csikszentmihalyi's speech makes sense. Happiness is associated with purpose in humans. This explains why community service is more effective than buying a Maserati when it comes to being happy. The same theory applies to a state of flow. The increased creativity when completing a task produces a sense of fulfillment in the subject.

Get down to the neuroscience of it, and several chemicals come into play. Happiness is generally associated with four in particular: endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin. When it comes to flow, the neurotransmitter dopamine is key. That's the chemical that takes effect when you're near an important reward. People can't always be happy because the dopamine doesn't take effect for trivial endeavors. That would waste energy and be detrimental in the long run. A state of flow creates an importance in the situation at hand, which triggers the dopamine release and the pleasurable feeling.

It's important to understand where this happiness comes from so we can access it again in the future. It's hard to focus on what you're doing if your brain would rather be taking a nap. By knowing what causes your state of flow, you can "wake up" from being unproductive, and be happier and more efficient for future tasks.

So, exercise. That's what I identify as inciting my state of flow. It would be interesting to compare my scores on a memory test before and after exercise. Maybe I'll do some P90X before I start my chemistry homework tonight. I might even feel happier, too!

Of course, it could just be the endorphins.

#tedtalks #neuroscience