You may or may not have seen the viral ‘flow state’ TikTok trend pop up on your feed sometime over the past few months. It has people uploading videos of themselves with text on screen explaining how they achieve a so-called “flow state” in everyday moments, from eating Wingstop with the perfect chips-to-wings-to-drink ratio, to overtaking “slow-walkers” at just the right pace.
But what exactly is a flow state, and how can you tap into it to study more productively?
What is a “Flow State”?
The term was first coined by the late Hungarian-American psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, otherwise known as the Father of Flow. He introduced the concept of the flow state in his research on happiness, creativity and optimal experience, describing it as a state of intense immersion and energized concentration in whatever you’re doing. It’s a state in which nothing else seems to matter, as the activity – neither too difficult nor too easy – is so rewarding for your brain that it fully absorbs your attention. Reaching the right flow state can be incredibly useful for studying, allowing you to stay deeply focused and make the most of your study time.
Top Tips for Reaching Your Studying Flow State
1. Create A Ritual
By having a ritual or a series of actions you take every time you’re wanting to enter that deep state of concentration, you’re preparing your brain by letting it know what you are about to do. These could range from a few minutes of meditation, or brewing a cup of your favourite tea to taking a short walk.
2. Set Up the Right Environment for Success
Find your perfect study spot with good lighting, a comfortable chair and essential supplies like a bottle of water just within reach. The right room temperature is also important, with slightly cooler environments being more optimal than warmer ones, which can leave you feeling sluggish. Ideally, choose a quiet area free from distracting noises to help you get in the zone.
3. Eliminate Distractions
With your study space set up, it’s crucial to remove anything that might pull your attention away. Put your phone on silent, or use an app to block social media and other distractions for a set period. Let others know ahead of time that you need an uninterrupted study session to minimize notifications. Even small interruptions like clutter on your desk, can break your focus, so keep only what is essential in front of you.
4. Set a Goal
Identify your most important task before you start, and work towards that as your main goal. Break it down into manageable steps and go steadily through them. Reaching a flow state is easiest when you concentrate on a single task that demands a lot of brain power. So, trying to multitask won’t work out as well.
5. Study During Your Peak Productivity Times
Pay attention to when you naturally feel most alert and focused during the day, and schedule your study sessions around those periods. These productivity peaks will often align with your circadian rhythm, indicating when your body needs rest and when it’s ready to take action. Whether that’s early in the morning, mid-afternoon or later in the evening, aligning your study sessions with your peak energy levels makes it a lot easier to concentrate.
6. Make It Fun
Studying isn’t exactly a hobby many are eager to take up, and when getting through a particularly demanding task, it isn’t all that easy to enjoy. But flow states are easiest to get into when you’re doing something you love. So, it helps to make the study session fun by playing learning games, or using flashcards with doodles on them, listening to music you enjoy or rewarding yourself with a snack after achieving key goals.
By building the right habits and mindset, reaching a studying flow state becomes far more achievable. And with practice, you’ll not only study more productively, but come to enjoy the process too.
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