Enhance Your Workday with Creative Flow

In my last post, I talked about Stuart Brown, M.D., who is an expert on the science of play. In his interview, he says playing is “outside of time.”

We’ve all been outside of time. You’ve probably experienced moments when time didn’t seem to exist because you were so focused. You may have even had moments of being completely focused on the activity while being totally aware of what was going on around you.

Athletes call it being “in the zone.” Actors call it being “in the moment.” Artists of all types call it “creative flow” or just “flow.”

No matter what you call it, you can experience flow in a variety of activities. Whether you create a beautiful painting, make an incredible shot in basketball or give a flawless speech, the act of creation generally leaves you feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Can you experience flow while you’re at work? Absolutely! Some of my most energizing moments have been at work…as long as I enjoy what I’m doing.

I can easily get into flow when I’m writing or performing. It comes naturally to me. But flow is elusive when I’m dealing with numbers. That activity just isn’t my “thing.” Yet I know plenty of CPAs who are completely in flow when they are knee-deep in the numbers.

In a perfect world, we would only have to perform the work activities we like. But since that’s not realistic, let’s look at the next best thing. More than likely, there is something in your day that allows you to experience flow even if it’s only for 15 minutes. That 15 minutes could refresh you enough to make your day significantly more interesting.

Select one or two activities in your workday that you truly enjoy. Instead of going through the motions, figure out a way to enhance these activities and heighten the experience. A few things to consider:

Set your environment. Do you work better with or without music? Do you prefer the quiet of your home office or the buzz of Starbucks? Do you like bright or low lighting? A hot cup of tea or an ice cold slushy drink? Set up your environment for you to do your best work.

Time of day. Your circadian rhythms will determine the best time to perform your favorite activity. If you’re not sure, try different times of the day for a week at a time to see what works best for you.

Be the ball. In the movie “Caddyshack,” there’s a silly scene on the golf course where Chevy Chase’s character says, “stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball.” There’s truth to getting out of your head and relaxing in order to achieve flow. Once you’re focused things fall into place effortlessly, and you can experience a certain “oneness” with the activity.

Be grateful. Many people work at jobs they absolutely despise. Be thankful that you get to do something you enjoy, even if you may not be able to do it as often as you’d like. Sometimes the most important part of enhancing your day and encouraging flow is working with gratitude.

Wishing you a refreshing and productive day!