Go With The Flow

By ALICE O’BRIEN Alice O’Brien Counselling, Newmarket

To be a four year old again would be a wonderful thing. Children have a great knack of getting lost in their own worlds, we know that when we call them or interrupt their play, they can be unresponsive, often not even hearing or heeding us, they are so immersed in their own world. Also, having a conversation with a child can be a challenge when they tell us about their play, the characters, the scenarios, the stories- all making perfect sense to them- can be quite a challenge to keep up with.

There’s a term for what the child is doing; being in the flow state, a mental state where a person is completely focused

on a single task or activity. All attention is directed at this one task, eliminating all other thoughts, stresses or worries. Children may not have too many stresses or worries, but we do. So, as adults we could benefit hugely from being in a flow state. Whatever that might look like for you- running, gardening, crafting, knitting- the kind of activity where time has no meaning because you’re immersed in what you are doing. So, if you’re lucky enough to have found your flow activity, how do you benefit from it?

• A good sense of concentration means you can be focused without distraction, meaning greater out-put or results.

• Being in this flow state is a very positive experience. The pleasure that comes from being present in the moment is highly rewarding and brings huge psychological benefits.

• The thoughts, feeling and worries that often cloud our experiences can be eliminated while we are in the flow state, therefore giving us a much needed respite.

• The feeling of happiness that arises from being in the flow state lasts long after the activity is finished. A general sense of well-being can be felt for many days afterwards. So, to get into this flow state is easy. You need to care about the activity. It needs to be an activity that is not too easy, it should be challenging enough to need effort. Lastly, your mind-set needs to be focused on the journey not the destination, in other words, enjoy the ride.