What many of us want to be able to do is drop in, lock in, and really focus. We want to generate ideas for our business. We want to untangle tricky problems and think through potential solutions. We want to do strategic planning and analysis.
Or, we may want to write a book or create a compelling presentation.
I think you will agree that in this world of infinite distractions, it is getting harder to focus. But maybe you have experienced a time when you were completely engrossed in what you were doing and time seemed to stop? Maybe you forgot to eat or even go to the bathroom? That is called a flow state, and it is one of the best feelings there is.
In flow, you may feel like you are doing your best work.
You may think it is hard to get into a flow state. You may think the mood has to strike, or that there is luck and timing involved, but New York Times bestselling author Daniel Pink says he has a system that works for him to get into a flow state consistently, and he says it will work for you.
In “How To Lock In (for real)” Pink walks us through his 7 repeatable steps to engineer flow on demand.
I want to be able to access my best ideas and do my best work, and I am guessing you do as well.
Not surprisingly, Pink asks us to watch the video full screen with no distractions or notifications. Some of you just groaned. It’s hard, but the benefits of flow might be worth it.
In the first step of his system, Pink says you need to be very clear with your brain and you need to tell it to focus on one thing that is specific and measurable. He says his goal is to write 800 words per day.
The second step is to ensure the goal is not too easy or too difficult. If the goal is too easy, you will get bored. The goal needs to be challenging, but not overwhelming.
The third step talks about timing and knowing when your peak hours are. You want to schedule your flow time at your best time of day. For most people, this is the morning.
The fourth step is about removing distractions. All the beeps, chimes, and buzzes take you away from your task at hand. Create an environment where you can focus completely.
The fifth step is blocking out time on your calendar, which I talk about a lot. Pink recommends a 60- to 90-minute window. He warns us that the first 15-20 minutes may feel really hard. That certainly matches my experience. My brain is like the little kid in the back of the car saying, “Are we there yet?”
The sixth step is counter intuitive, but it is where the magic happens. Pink says you need to start before you feel ready. Action will usually need to come first. You may never feel completely ready or even motivated. He says you just just have to start and motivation may come later.
The seventh step is to measure your progress. Since you set a goal in the beginning that could be measured, you can track how you are doing. Making progress feels good! This step will make perfect sense to entrepreneurs.
This is a great video and I hope you find it as helpful as I did.
Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash
