Note that, it is not simply the balance between task difficulty and skill level which causes flow, but the balance in higher levels of difficulty and skill. We can continue those activities for hours, without feeling hungry or thirsty.įlow, therefore, is the mental state we experience, when we perform an activity, in which we are completely absorbed with a sense of active concentration and complete immersion, while enjoying the whole process. When we are in this kind of activities, we are in heaven. Flow zoneįinally, there are those tasks whose difficulty is almost matching our level of skill. However, these are the ones that help us develop and grow. Usually, they can cause discomfort, anxiety or fear. These tasks take us out of our comfort zone. There are some other tasks which are new to us, therefore unknown, or they may be familiar but tough. When we stay for long in our comfort zone, it will sooner or later transform into a stagnation zone. Dealing with them may be comfortable, but we will soon find them boring. They do not pose any difficulty for us, so they often result in a loss of interest. We have repeated them over many times, so they have become automatic. We all have to deal with various daily activities. Our Growth, Stagnation and Flow zones Stagnation zone Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost”. Every action, movement and thought inevitably follows the preceding, as if playing Jazz. “the mental state of flow is being completely absorbed in an activity, for the activity itself and only. The phenomenon of flow, was first referenced by the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in 1990. Whenever we have experience this situation, we are in a state of flow. We are overwhelmed by a wonderful sense of transcendence. The sense of time, as well as any negative emotions disappear. We have complete control of the situation. During these activities we feel that we are very competent. We have all been involved in activities where we have intense concentration and total commitment.

Getting into the flow experience