How To Consistently Reach Flow-State For Genius-Level Work

reHave you ever felt a level of concentration that leaves you transfixed with whatever you’re doing? Ideas come easy, the outside world melts away, productivity is a breeze, and it almost feels like meditation.

If you’ve ever experienced this feeling, you’ve probably experienced flow state.

Your general well-being, creativity, and productivity are essential parts of a healthy life, all of which can be harnessed through the power of flow state. 

So what exactly is flow state and what can you do to achieve it more easily? We’ve got your back, keep reading.

 

Key Takeaways

• Flow state is a state of complete immersion and intense focus where you are fully engaged in an activity, leading to enhanced productivity and a sense of time slowing down. It can be achieved by being "in the zone" during stimulating tasks that require concentration, creativity, and skill. Flow state can be harnessed in various activities, from work-related tasks to creative pursuits or sports.
• Flow state enhances productivity by providing clarity, motivation, and a sense of reward. It allows you to set clear goals, experience a positive feedback loop, and achieve a heightened state of mind. Flow state can be beneficial for overall well-being, creativity, and personal growth, enabling you to tap into genius thinking and discover new aspects of yourself.
• Flow state can be cultivated through planning, preparation, and reducing distractions. Clear goals, immediate feedback, and finding the right balance between challenge and skill are important elements. Environmental triggers, social engagement, creative pursuits, and psychological introspection can all contribute to entering flow state.
• Supplements like VYU's TUNE IN, containing beneficial mushrooms and nootropics, can support focus, productivity, and the experience of flow state.

 

What is Flow State?

Flow state is when there is a sense of fluidity between body and mind, where you are so completely immersed and intensely focused on something that nothing can distract you. Basically, it’s being “in the zone” when performing stimulating and doable tasks. 

Think of flow state as productive hyperfocus. You’ll probably feel like time has slowed down, your senses are on high alert, work feels effortless and you are one with the task at hand. 

When action and awareness sync together, that’s flow state. The best thing about it is that anyone and everyone can achieve it! Flow state can be harnessed for productive, creative, and fun pursuits: anything from working on an Excel sheet or washing the dishes to hiking or painting. 

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi was the first to identify and research flow state, which is at the heart of many scientific and psychological studies. 

Considered one of the co-founders of positive psychology, Csikszentmihalyi described flow state as “this focus that, once it becomes intense, leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity: you know exactly what you want to do from one moment to the other.”

Although it’s similar to meditation in that it blurs out unnecessary noise, it usually doesn’t show up when you’re feeling relaxed. Instead, flow state shows up during challenging but engaging activities that need your full concentration.

How Does Flow State Affect Productivity?

Flow state can absolutely make you more productive. Not only can it do that, but it can also make you feel ecstatic about being productive. Instead of feeling a sense of dread about having to get something done, you’ll feel motivated and excited about finishing a task.

When you’re able to harness your complete concentration for a task, the goals are rewards suddenly become clear and seem more achievable. The experience in itself is inherently rewarding, and the consequences of this heightened state of mind directly correlate to higher productivity.

 

How to Train Your Brain to Enter Flow State at Will

As with most things, practice makes perfect. Sometimes going into flow state is inevitable and not planned, and other times you might need to make an effort to get into that headspace. 

While every single person is different, there are a few tips and tricks you can apply to achieve flow state. Let us be your guide. 

Getting Into Flow State

Whether flow state comes naturally or is self-inflicted, it can be massively supporting in day-to-day life. Before getting into it, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared and in a good headspace. 

Planning & Preparing for Flow

To invite flow state to come out and play, it can be helpful to plan and prepare. First, you’ll want to make sure your goals are clear but not overwhelming. Stress is the enemy of flow state, so make sure you know what you want to do without worrying too much about it. 

You’ll also want to implement immediate feedback, whether it comes from within or others. Patting yourself on the back after every little achievement is a great place to start. 

Also, make sure there’s a balance between skill and challenge. You want to know that you can achieve the tasks, even if that means putting your whole soul into it. Make sure that it’s challenging but not impossible. Identify a clear execution that you want to accomplish. 

Finally, a key part of achieving flow state is reducing or eliminating distractions or interferences. While it might not be possible to completely shut out the world, make sure you’re somewhere where you can concentrate. 

Flow State Exercises

Flow state can be activated in almost any task, but there are four triggers where it’s prevalent in different ways. We’ll explore these and give you an exercise as an example for each one.

• Social triggers: flow state can be achieved by a group of people too! One of the most well-known ways we observe a social flow state is in a sports team. Everyone’s in sync and concentrated on the activity, so much so they’re more of a unit that individuals. For example: use the coveted “yes, and…” that is often used in improv. Always say yes!
• Creative triggers: being in a creative headspace can trigger flow state, which will amplify the creativity and put you in a positive feedback loop. If you’re writing, drawing, knitting, sculpting, playing an instrument, dancing, or any other creative pursuit, try thinking outside the box, challenging your approach, and taking risks. 
• Environmental triggers: getting out of your comfort zone can be scary but rewarding. To understand environmental triggers, imagine someone who wants to scale Everest. They’ve never been there before, which might seem counterproductive to flow state, but it’s actually a challenge in itself that can induce flow state. Next time you’re in a new environment, use it to your advantage and become one with the unknown. 
• Psychological triggers: when it comes to your own mind, it might seem like you’ll never understand yourself. However, using flow state to discover the corners of your own existence can be invigorating. Try lining out your goals and ambitions, writing them down may help.

What is Genius Thinking?

You’ve probably heard the question before: what would happen if we used 100% of our brain power? While you might think this would lead to genius thinking, that’s not the case. In fact, we usually do use 100% of our brains, just not at the same time.

Genius thinking is the thought process while undergoing flow state. Fear and doubt are cast out, mental interference is a thing of the past, and thought clarity is a given. Instead of thinking about thinking, all you do is think. It feels more intuitive and natural than run-of-the-mill reflection. 

Genius thinking isn’t reserved for geniuses. Anyone can embrace and acknowledge feeling, imagination, and desire. It isn’t even related to intelligence - smarter people aren’t automatically better at genius thinking. Rather, it’s the act of accepting thoughts as they come, as they float with our own flow state.

The Fine Art of Noticing 

Contrary to what you might believe, trying hard doesn’t guarantee flow state. In fact, it can often interfere and cause tension that keeps flow state at bay. Instead of thinking, try just noticing. 

Let’s say you’re a writer with writer’s block. The more you try, the harder it’ll be to get out of that state. Instead of forcing yourself to sit down and right, just notice the world around you. Notice the sights, sounds, relaxing smells, feelings, and thoughts.

Don’t look for them, just notice what is right in front of you. After a while, a bright idea that kills off writer’s block might just appear. 

Noticing involves no judgment, criticism, or problem-solving. It simply acknowledges the world around you as it is, allowing you to feel one with the world. 

Floodlight and Spotlight

To achieve flow state, you’ll want to manage your own thinking. One of the ways to do this is through the so-called “floodlight and spotlight.” Excuse me, what?

Basically, floodlight comes first. It’s the general overview of everything around and inside of you. It includes what you notice, what you imagine, what you think about, what your intuition tells you, and what you feel. 

Now, spotlight time. What stands out from the floodlight? What seems the most interesting, or what do you need to think about more? 

Perhaps in your tumultuous brain, what stuck out most is a specific purpose. By highlighting and putting this goal in the spotlight, you’ll be able to set up specific goals and feel motivated to achieve them. 

 

Supplements to Support Flow State

Since we’re on the topic of flow state, let us introduce you to something that’s sure to help in your journey: VYU. 

Obviously, it’s easier to achieve flow state if you’re helping your mind out. VYU’s TUNE IN does just that by bringing a bunch of nootropics together to create a product that improves focus, boosts productivity, sparks flow state, and amplifies energy. 

Made for those who want to experience flow state and a high level of cognitive function, this easy-to-use powder can be mixed into your drink of choice (we suggest water to really taste the Strawberry Lemonade flavor).

Beneficial mushrooms and other nootropics are in the mix, making for a complete brain superfood that’ll leave you feeling like a million bucks without needing caffeine. 

Lion’s mane is one of the main ingredients, which can improve mood and cognition. Additionally, Bacopa Monnieri helps with learning and expanding mental capacity, while cordyceps fights off brain fog.

Teacrine does the work of caffeine without the crash, and Ashwagandha sharpens focus and memory.

Finally, a good dose of L-Tyrosine helps boost mental performance even when stress wants to make an appearance. 

All in all, VYU’s TUNE-IN is the supplement for people who want to make the most of the beautiful brain they’ve been gifted in life. Whether you’re a blue-collar worker, an artist, sitting pretty in a huge office, working from home, taking care of your home, or just in need of a mental boost, VYU works for anybody and everybody. 

Pre-order VYU’s TUNE-IN to start your journey towards achieving flow state in your day-to-day life, enriching vitality, and making you as happy and productive as you deserve to be.