Developing Your Flow Superpower

Have you ever experienced coming into a situation and become aware that something has shifted, and you have a whole new perspective?  What you are experiencing at that moment is known as flow.  This is a state of complete immersion in a moment or activity.  It is a moment when you are not weighted down by the blind spots of ego and you find yourself realizing as the song says, “I can see clearly now.”

The flow state is losing yourself in the moment.  Your focus is so acute that you are unwilling to allow any distractions to cloud your vision.  When you find your abilities are well matched to the activity, the world around you quiets and you find yourself achieving far more than you believed was possible.

Three elements of being in the “flow state,” are:

• The melting together with action and consciousness
• Clarity of goals and immediate feedback
• A high level of concentration and awareness

One technique successful people use to empower this state of flow is known as the Pomodoro Technique.  This is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980’s.  This technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks.

What happens is your focus heightens on the task in front of you and you find your willingness to allow distractions diminishes.   You may have experienced this when you are faced with a deadline such as writing a paper or completing a report that you complete it in record time.  You have put yourself in the flow state.

In our distracted state of being in today’s world the number one cause of burnout and overwhelm is the inability to connect with our flow state of being.  Kary Oberbrunner, author and speaker, has championed trainings on how to become unhackable in your life by becoming an expert in flow.  Kary Oberbrunner says “in a world of increasing distractions, unhackabiltiy is the new secret weapon of super achievers.”

Three of those most common ways we are hacked are multi-tasking, smart phones, and decision fatigue.  Overcoming these hackable culprits takes practice and discipline.  Develop this muscle by being intentional about setting aside time to practice being in flow.  Have grace for yourself.  If you find your mind drifting away gently bring yourself back into the moment.

Become the victor of your own story by taking ownership of your pattern for getting hacked.  Become accountable for your hacking problem and be consistent developing your focus so that ultimately flow will become your new superpower.