The Psychology Of Flow: Increase Engagement And Emotional Regulation

Have you ever felt that moment of ease wherein you were completely observed into something? If you’ve ever come across a moment like this then please note that this state or moment of full concentration is named flow as per psychologists. Flow helps people in achieving greater energy, enjoyment, and involvement. If you haven’t come across something like this let me explain to you.

Take a deep breath and imagine that you’re making art. You are completely focused on the movements of your hands, the power of your creativity, the smoothness of your strokes, and slow breathing. At this moment, you are utterly observed in making something creative and your brain pores are open.

Isn’t this is a great example of flow? You can enjoy and involve in each and every activity you do. Flow has a lot of mental health benefits. If you want to know then stay with me, keep reading this piece, it will help you to bring back your state of flow…

Flow: Complete Immersion in any Activity

If you ask me what flow is, I can describe flow as a state of mind wherein someone is fully immersed in an activity. In simple words, it is a mental state wherein people are focused and involved in whatever they are doing. Experiences of flow occur in a different manner for different people (it is not the same for everyone). Flow mainly occurs when we do something that we love and enjoy or the activities wherein we are quite skilled.

Flow is related to creative activities like painting, writing, or drawing. However, it can also be related to sports like tennis, running, skiing, or other activities like swimming or dancing.

Benefits of Flow:

Flow has various advantages like:

1. Improved emotional regulation

With elevated flow, a person can experience improvement in emotional regulation. This helps in the regulation of emotions effectively.

2. Great fulfillment and enjoyment

People in this state are more concentrated and enjoy whatever they do. It feels more fulfilling, enjoyable, and rewarding.

3. Increased happiness

The flow of state brings self-actualization, satisfaction, and happiness.

4. Increased intrinsic motivation

Increase state of flow rewards in increased intrinsic motivation. This is the biggest gift you can ever give to your mental health.

5. Improved engagement

More concentration results in improved engagement.

6. Elevated performance

Increased state of flow improves performance in learning things like athletics, writing, and teaching.

7. Development of skills and learning

With the help of a state of flow, new information and challenges result in the development of skills and learning.

8. The increased flow of creative juices

Flow helps in the release of creative juices and it is more beneficial in terms of artistic pursuits.

Achieving Flow with these Tips

1. Setting Clear Goals

Flow is likely to occur when someone has clear goals with specific responses. If I talk about chess, chess is all about a flow state. If you’re in the flow, you might win and if you’re not in the flow, you might lose your queen. Player of chess has very specific goals, and it all takes attentions to make a win.

2. Eliminating Distractions

Eliminations of distractions are the most important step when you want to achieve flow. You have to be completely distracted from the things that might seek your attention and this can only be achieved by the state of flow and focus. For example, if you hear the audience while playing chess you may make the wrong move.

3. Adding an Element of Challenge and Involvement

The state of flow is achieved when your skills are completely involved in overcoming a challenge. It’s like a magnet; the more you improve yourself, the more challenging and involving it may become. If challenges and involvement are high, there are chances that you can seek a state of flow by adding new elements to your skills.

4. Choosing Something You Enjoy

You are most likely to achieve flow when you are doing something you love and enjoy. Like me, if you enjoy writing, it may provide you a feeling of mental peace. But, if you dislike writing, you may not achieve the flow of state. Therefore, always focus on something you enjoy and involve. If you are likely to learn dance then you must go for it.

I hope this blog helps you to understand the psychology of flow. Comment down and let us know how this article or piece of information changed your views towards involvement and state of flow. For more such content, connect with us on all social media platforms.

Thanks for reading!

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