The Flow State - How To Get More By Doing Less

Imagine a world where you spend less time doing something, but get more out of it.

Well, that world exists, and it’s called the flow state.

As far as superpowers go, the flow state is probably the closest thing that any of us are ever going to be able to possess.

No, you won’t turn invisible, or rewind time or even shoot webs from your wrists. But you will be able to create and achieve more during the state of flow than in any other condition or state you’ll find yourself in.

“A flow state, often called "being in the zone," is an optimal state of consciousness where you feel and perform at your best, characterized by deep immersion, intense focus, and effortless engagement in an activity.”

You may have felt this yourself when working, studying, playing a game, or riding your bike down a hill.

Everything else seems to fade away, and all that’s left is you and whatever it is you’re engulfed in. This is more than just focus, though, it’s a cocktail of the brain's best neurochemicals all firing at the same time.

As far as productivity goes, nothing beats the flow state, one hour of flow beats 3 hours of distracted focus, so optimising your life to create and enter flow state as much as humanly possible is exactly how you do more by doing less.

Find the conditions that allow you to enter flow the easiest and for the longest sustained period, and make sure they repeat.

If you need complete silence, adjust your routines to put the most important work during the quietest period of your day. If a very specific type of music allows you to enter flow the easiest, then create a playlist and play it every time you work. 

The conditions of flow are subjective, so find what works for you and figure out how to make them repeat. 

Flow is your best friend when it comes to getting more from doing less, so make sure he’s always around.