Flow states to maximize creative productivity

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Feeling how your body responds makes all the difference between if you should take a short break or pull that all-nighter. Productivity expert Steven Kotler had a great podcast on what a flow state is, how you can maximize productivity in that state and how to get there more often to really maximize results. Author and angel investor Tim Ferris also talks often of these states on his podcast and in his books 4 Hour Workweek and Tools of Titans. 

Photo by Simon Migaj on Unsplash We've all been in and out of flow states throughout our working hours. The flow is simply when you are clipping along with whatever activity at a seemingly effortless place. You're not distracted, you have a relaxed focus and science would say your brain is in a an [alpha or theta state](https://brainworksneurotherapy.com/what-are-brainwaves). When we invariably zone back out we wonder how to get back there.  A huge problem for most people while being productive, as in during writing a long article for instance, or reading a book or working on some computer program is that flow states are interrupted. Notifications of phones and tablets, heckling coworkers, and other distractions can really bog down productive work. Every time we get distracted we have to zone back into what we're doing, and contrary to what many people believe there really is no such thing as multitasking (although you can learn to switch tasks and attention quicker and easier).  There's a lot of factors that affect whether you'll be in a truly productive and efficient state. Working from home quite a lot, I have fallen victim to absolutely terrible bouts of unproductive behavior. These are the biggest factors I've found over the years that create a good and consistent set of flow states throughout the day: Quality sleep Removing as many distractions as possible and putting phone on airplane mode if need be Calm, relaxing music Solid nutrition, not eating too much, not snacking while working and drinking plenty of water taking breaks when you feel you need to As you can see, most of these have to do with environment, whether internal or external. Externally, you remove all the excuses you have to distract you from what you're doing. Keeping a bag of chips next to you might not hurt if you're playing video games, but if you're creating something that you want to have some real value then those snacks are just a continuous dopamine disruption. The same goes for any other shiny objects that may in site. The constant dopamine drip that goes on for a lot of people is staggering, bouncing from one thing to the next, from phone to bag of popcorn to soda to youtube video. Even music can be a distraction. I find that longer, instrumental mixes work great because you don't have to constantly attend to the music. Just put on something that fits your mood, maybe have a coffee or some tea at hand and *just go* Internal environment is even more touchy, because that's where the magic happens with a flow state. Some stimulants might help to focus artificially but for long term focus you have to pay attention to how your thoughts and emotional state are reacting. I used to try and force long writing or study sessions in college (the few times I did homework that is) using tons of coffee and invariably I would burn out, ancy from all the caffeine but still churning through the project, but my efficiency would just die out. In case anyone reading this somehow hasn't heard of Tim Ferris he is the definition of productivity and time management. He is so OCD he actually calculated that his body works best in spurts of 22 minutes. After that he takes a five minute break, walks around or stretches and then returns for another little "block" of writing. It can seem lazy at first, after all twenty minutes isn't really that long to do anything. Those frequent breaks pay huge dividends though in increased focus and a little mental rest. Speaking of rest, I finally realized how great power naps are if you need them. Sometimes you're on a deadline and you have to punch through, tiredness be damned. Other times, however, it is wise just to close your eyes for 10–15 minutes. You don't even need to sleep necessarily. I found just getting in a relaxed position and closing my eyes, doing some controlled breathing and just letting my thoughts sort of wander, sort of like a light meditation, works great and even five minutes later I may feel recharged. If you fall asleep, fine, just keep it to twenty minutes. The hour and a half naps will most likely screw productivity for the rest of the day. How you start your day can make a huge difference in whether or not you are able to get into a flow state. This revolves a lot about your sleep schedule. Most work from home types are aware of the dangers of oversleeping. Screw the laziness factor, you feel groggy and spaced out all day (at least I do at times). A consistent waking time and sleep schedule obviously contribute to circadian rhythms and thus energy levels throughout the day, but don't think that you need to get up at 4:00 like Jocko Willink every day. Even Ferris admits that his best time to get up is between 7:00–8:00 which is blasphemous to many "high achievers". Whatever works best for you is the key. Some people even thrive by getting their best work done late at night, and there's nothing wrong with that. Its all about maximizing that window throughout the day when you are generally most productive. For me this is early afternoon to evening time. Sometimes I can get going straight in the morning but usually I need a little time to really get into the groove. But that's just me. The last thing I'll talk about here is drugs and alcohol simply because they can have so much effect on sleeping, hydration and how you feel in the morning getting up. I don't think anyone can argue that you get your best work done on a hard hangover. It messes with your sleep and leaves you mentally groggy throughout the day with less energy. Not ideal conditions for flow states. You don't have to be in this state all the time to succeed or be happy or anything like that. For someone that is really going hard for a goal that may need weeks, months or years of fairly high intensity and consistently though, being able to take advantage of time executing sometimes enormous task lists requires mastering this skill. As a bonus it essentially always ensures higher quality work in less time, which opens up time for people to enjoy the finer sides of life. I know all too well what its like just bumping from small task to task seemingly at random only to look back at the day and wonder if I actually got anything done. With flow states you can maximize laser like focus on certain tasks and more often than not you enjoy it more as well. Because lets face it, work sort of sucks when you're mentally not feeling it. Part of the flow state is the relaxed awareness which comes from a healthy mind and body, and it just feels better and to me it feels like I'm actually creating something useful instead of forcing something out because I have to. ***If you enjoy my writing on #Steemit, please like share and most importantly give your thoughts in the comments and find me on my main writing channel on #Medium:*** https://medium.com/@benhetzel ***Also my primarily fitness and health account as well as coaching on instagram:*** https://www.instagram.com/h24leanmachine/ ***If you’re looking to lose weight or have a health or fitness goal email me directly at: h24leanmachine@protonmail.com***
Originally posted here: https://steemit.com/productivity/@zydane/flow-states-to-maximize-creative-productivity