🧠 How to Trigger Your Flow State

Hey there! Welcome back to The Flow by Flocus. If you’re new around here, welcome! 👋 You can catch up on our previous editions right here.

This week: We’re going over your flow state — what it is, why it’s important, and how to use it to get more done. All in less than 5 minutes. Let’s get into it!

🧠 What is Your Flow State?

Your flow state is that feeling you get when you’re so engrossed in a task that your focus feels unbreakable.

You’ve probably been in a flow state in areas outside of work — like while watching your favorite TV show, or playing your favorite game.

When you’re in a flow state, you feel:

• 🔇 Like you can easily ignore distractions

• 🧑‍💻 Fully immersed in what you’re doing right now

• 🧠 A sense of purpose and clarity

• 🥰 Rewarded and motivated

• 💪 Confident in your ability to complete the task

• 🧗‍♂️ Appropriately challenged

When you’re in your flow state, you’re operating at peak performance. It feels like nothing else matters.

Certain factors will naturally make it harder to reach a flow state — everything from poor nutrition and work-life imbalance, to physical and mental health symptoms.

Let’s explore some ways to overcome these obstacles and trigger your flow state on demand!

Real quick: Enjoying The Flow?

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Now, let’s get into ways to trigger your flow state:

🖐️ 5 Ways to Trigger Your Flow State

Ready to get in the zone? Try these out this week!

✍️ 1. Bullet it out

Struggling to shift into a flow state? Instead of trying to force it, pause for a moment to explore what’s holding you back.

Try these prompts to work through it:

• How am I feeling right now?

• What am I resisting, and why?

• How do I want to feel, and what small steps can I take to make it happen?

☕ 2. Change your scenery

Your brain creates associations with the places you spend the most time in. That’s why so many people struggle to work or study from home — our brains tend to associate home with relaxation, chores, and non-work activities.

So, when you’re feeling stuck, try switching up your routine or environment. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Go for a walk on your break

• Work or study from a new place, like a different cafe or part of your home

• Take a different route home

• Wear something that you don’t normally wear

👯 3. Invite a friend

Working alongside someone, like a friend or accountability partner, is a great way to stay on track and make work more fun!

Need a hand finding some focus buddies? Join the Flocus Discord server and meet likeminded productivity lovers from all over the world!

⌨️ 4. Spruce up your workspace

Making small adjustments to your workspace can boost your motivation and help you feel more excited about your work.

Even something small — like posting a sticky note with study affirmations above your desk — can work wonders!

😼 5. Challenge Yourself

Push yourself by setting a timer and racing against the clock (more on that here). This creates a sense of urgency, and will make it easier to enter your flow state. Bonus: Reward yourself with a small treat if you finish under time.

🪅 Flocus Picks

A curated list of things worth sharing.

• Lofi for Focus (Spotify Playlist) — Music without lyrics is great for entering and staying in your flow state, so we’ve curated these breezy lofi tracks to get you in the zone!

• Why You’re Always Distracted (YouTube) — Ali Abdaal shares 5 mistakes that could be ruining your focus

• How to Enter Flow State (YouTube Video) — Author Steven Kotler dives further into the concept of flow state and triggers

🖥️ Flocus: All-in-One Dashboard

Use Flocus to enter your flow state (Fun fact: the flow state is part of the inspiration behind our name!)

Toggle over to Focus Mode bottom right, add your current priority right in the dash, and start your timer! Make your focus sessions more fun and beautiful with dozens of aesthetic worlds, concentration sounds, and built-in playlists.

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Getting into your flow state isn’t instant or easy — otherwise, we’d all be superhuman. But these tips should make getting into the zone faster and boost your productivity.

Try these tips out this week, and let us know how it goes with a quick reply!

Until next Sunday,

Flocus Team

⚡️