When you are working well, feeling vibrant, having good ideas, producing a great piece of work without interruptions and getting things done fast and effectively, you are ‘in the flow.’
People who are in ‘flow’ achieve a state of consciousness that is in harmony with their surroundings and feelings. They do not make distinctions between work and play. They create an inner state of being that brings them peace and fulfillment. They are focused, what they do is meaningful and has purpose, they are absorbed in their activities and they have a sense of connection to their inner self and also with others. Some people experience it for minutes, some for hours, some for days on end…
How often do you feel that good in an office?
Be prepared to work odd hours. Enlightening thoughts and the feeling of flow can be like a dream. It appears and disappears, sometimes without warning, so you must be ready to seize the moment, whether that’s at 7:30am today or 9pm on a Sunday evening.
Work opening hours, not office hours.
People working while in a state of flow are able to achieve their work in around half the time it would take them in a normal office state. The big trick, though, is to stop working as soon as you realise you are not in the flow anymore and go and do something completely different – and fun!
You are not being productive anymore but you’re not tied to the desk. You don’t have to send more emails, or look at more pictures of cats.
You are in control and can go and do whatever you like.
Enjoy it and don’t feel guilty. The feeling of flow will be back shortly.
For further info please read ‘Flow’ by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. The latest edition of this excellent book shows you how you can control flow and not just leave it to chance.
Posted on 1/20/2014
Written by Chris Ward
Chris Ward is a highly regarded and successful author, activist and adventurer. He works at the very top of the commercial, charity and mountainous worlds – with an espresso & either a laptop or a bike! Chris is “The boss who works in coffee shops” (BBC) and “The first self-help guru for the digital age” (Amazon). His book ‘Out Of Office: work where you like & achieve more‘ has been a No. 1 bestseller in the UK and USA and top ten in Canada and Germany. Chris helps businesses become more successful and people become happier, by questioning the one thing that currently kills most of their time and energies – the way they work. Change the way you work and then, ONLY THEN, you can change ANYTHING in your life or your business. You can check out his website at http://workwhereyoulike.com.
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