Have you ever been so into something you’re doing that before you knew it, hours have gone by and you feel completely invigorated by whatever you’ve accomplished or experienced? They say, “time flies when you’re having fun,” when really, “time flies when you’re in a state of flow.”

In my blog about meditation, I talked about a mental state where you’re fully aware of what’s happening right now. Being in a state of flow (a concept named by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, but has its roots in eastern spiritual traditions) requires a similar sense of being present, but it’s a more active state where you’re engaging in something that really taps into your natural inclinations and capabilities.

Flow is when you lose complete track of time and space because you’re so enraptured by whatever it is you’re doing and it often produces something of value such as a new creation or even just increased proficiency in the skill you’re putting into practice.

You know what the opposite is of being in a state of flow? Data entry. Something so boring and mind-numbing that it actually seems to slow down the clock. You feel like hours have gone by because the task is so dreadful, but when you look at the clock, only a mere 2 minutes and 10 seconds have passed. Being in a state of flow is on the other end of that spectrum and that’s because being in a state of flow requires that you engage in an activity where your skill level is being met by an activity’s level of challenge.

There are the six factors that mark a state of flow:

1. Intense and focused concentration on the present moment
2. Merging of action and awareness
3. A loss of reflective self-consciousness
4. A sense of personal control or agency over the situation or activity
5. A distortion of temporal experience, one’s subjective experience of time is altered
6. Experience of the activity as intrinsically rewarding, also referred to as autotelic experience

Here are the activities that put me in a state of flow:

Planning

I’m naturally forward-thinking. Whether I’m planning a project, a dinner party, an upcoming trip, or whatever, I think with the end in mind. Then, I start to visualize what it would take to successfully execute the vision I have and even come up with scenarios where things don’t go as planned and what I need to do to be prepared in those cases. Planning gives me a sense of control over what I set out to accomplish and when my plan works out, it feels incredibly rewarding.

Cooking

I love to eat, but I also love to cook. Cooking requires me to be present (wouldn’t want to burn anything!) but it also taps into my love for planning (think mise en place). I usually have a vision for a meal, then I get into researching different ideas and approaches for creating that meal. When I have the oven preheating, the stove fired up, and all of my ingredients prepped for execution, I feel totally in the zone, moving effortlessly around my kitchen. The end result is usually a delicious meal that I can experience and share with others.

Dancing

Ever since I was young, I loved to dance. I never really received any kind of formal training and I didn’t do competitions like other girls, but I’ve learned how to feel and move with music by doing it, watching other people do it, and doing it often. It’s one of my favorite forms of exercise (Kazaxe or Zumba, mostly) because it helps me get out of my head and brings my whole being to life. It’s also one of my favorite past times— being out late at night with friends and just letting go on the dance dancefloor. I always feel fantastic afterward— sweating, heart beating, and refreshed from shaking off anything that was weighing me down.

Creating

Part of why I decided to start this blog is because it allows me to create. I’ve always enjoyed creating experiences, thought pieces, personalized gifts, video compilations, visuals, picture slideshows… There’s something really satisfying about creating something from nothing especially when it expresses who I am or helps me to better understand what makes me unique.

I spend a lot of time learning and exploring new disciplines and some stick whereas others don’t really keep my attention. Knowing what puts me in a state of flow improves the quality of my personal and professional life because I’m able to choose the activities that lift me up, rather than wear me down. Chasing this flow state is absolutely worthwhile because it catalyzes personal growth and brings to life what gives you a sense of purpose and pure enjoyment.

What puts you in a state of flow?