If you’re struggling or juggling, it seems counterintuitive to regularly turn up the tunes and dance it OUT, but did you know that it’s a wonderful way to get in a state of “flow”?
If the word, flow, is new to you, here is a refresher…
Psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, PhD, coined the psychological theory of “Flow” in the 1970s. He defines flow as, “Control of consciousness that determines the quality of life.”
In less formal terms, flow refers to a mental state where we’re completely absorbed in an activity, “in the zone”. It’s that feeling of intense focus and enjoyment when everything else fades away and we lose track of time. It’s a state of optimal experience where we’re fully immersed and challenged by what we’re doing.
Flow is an integral component of well-being, high-quality relationships, achievement, meaning, and purpose.
During complicated times, finding ways to carve out flow times is more important than ever. It’s about living in the present moment, balancing a skill and the challenge of the activity in which we’re engaging.
Not all activities are equal when it comes to achieving the flow state. An activity will stimulate flow if it:
- Provides a challenge
- Requires skill
- Provide immediate and unambiguous feedback.
- Requires concentration
- Provides a sense of control
- Presents clear goals. These can be small everyday goals. All you need is a clearly defined endpoint.
For those of us (me!) who prefer a more lighthearted form of flow, studies show that adding playfulness to the activity, along with the opportunity to experiment, explore, and not take things too seriously is an excellent addition to the flow chart (no pun intended).
Imagine experiencing any of these “highs”…
- A musician completely absorbed in improvisation, playfully experimenting with new sounds.
- An artist so focused on her artwork, that she loses track of time – enjoying the creative process itself.
- Friends lost in a game, playfully competing but having a blast.
- Friends dancing and sweating it out together with challenging and fun movement.
In all these scenarios, there’s a deep engagement (flow) combined with a lighthearted, enjoyable approach (playfulness). This powerful combination has been shown to:
- Increased creativity
- Improved learning
- Stronger social connections
- More enjoyment from life in general
For one hour, we’re not focused on our to-do lists, deadlines, or the constant noise of daily life. We’re moving, learning, laughing, connecting, and becoming fully absorbed in the moment. That’s flow.
Way to FLOW, Pat!
Pat is one of our more prolific Mojo friends, averaging about three classes a week. When she was out for several weeks, many of us assumed she was enjoying a summer getaway.
Instead, we found out she had injured her meniscus while climbing stairs at home. Ugh!
Pat planned to stay away until after surgery, but after three weeks she realized she was missing more than the workout.
“My brain was ruminating and I was starting to get into trouble,” she told us. (We get it!)
With her doctor’s blessing, she returned to class, modifying all her moves to protect her knee.
Sometimes we don’t realize how much we rely on movement, music, community, and flow until they’re missing.
For so many reasons, get LOST with us.
Lost in the music.
Lost in the movement.
Lost in the moment.
And find your way back to yourself 💜
Related Articles
