Summer Revely
Ever wanted to know how to be a genius in your field? Or do you just want to know how to get the best out of your working hours? Summer Revely’s article might just be the answer…
It’s no secret that when you ‘get in the zone’ and remove distractions while writing assignments, or catching up on lectures, you tend to get the task done faster, and often to a better standard. Well, research shows that the ability to get in ‘the flow’ is the secret to getting the best out of your mind and your time.
[Csikszentmihaly] theorised that whenever people ‘lose themselves’ […], they can function at their best
The concept of ‘the flow’ was deeply explored in the works of the late psychologist Csikszentmihaly. He described ‘the flow’ as a highly focused mental state that allows maximum productivity. The term was first adopted when working alongside musicians and artists who entered a frame of euphoria while working, at which point time seemed to disappear and work flowed effortlessly out of them. He theorised that whenever people ‘lose themselves’ and are fully engaged with a task which is balanced by their skillset, they can function at their best, and as if without thought, new ideas begin to flourish.
With more recent scientific advancements in MRI and EEG technology, which allow tracking of the blood’s movements to different areas of the brain while a task is being carried out, we can now understand the biology behind the flow state in much more detail. Studies show that the flow state is particularly activated in moments where individuals are given the opportunity to freely exercise their talents and use creativity to explore new perspectives. For example, in ad-libbing jazz artists, areas of the brain that are responsible for self-monitoring and conscious reasoning had a decrease in activity, while the regions that deal with self-expression were activated. Similarly, an investigation into freestyle rappers showed that when transitioning from memorised to improvised pieces, parts of the brain that control executive and logical functioning decreased. Together, these show that whatever the genre, the ability of musicians to produce new material is improved when they actively forget the risks and remove distractions around them to let the talent out. And it doesn’t stop with musicians – we also know that the flow extends far beyond musicians – from other artists to athletes and accountants.
[W]hen Eminem said to “lose yourself in the music” and never let that moment go, he was right.
So, whatever your end goal, when Eminem said to “lose yourself in the music” and never let that moment go, he was right. But to be a genius at something, you need to first level up your skillset to match the challenge. Those jazz artists couldn’t improvise if they couldn’t first play the saxophone! Then simply, remove your distractions and forget your fears. The research here clearly points to the fact that for creativity to flourish and for the birth of new ideas, it is essential to ‘release your inhibitions’. By letting go, you remove the worry that a task may be too difficult, and reprogramme your neural networks to just focus on the task in front of you, one step at a time.
So, the moral of the story is to be the best and worry a little less! Break down your goals into mini milestones and sharpen your skills to match them. Simultaneously, explore your ability to forget what’s around you to generate new ideas. Maybe listen to Eminem and Kate Nash a little more often too.
Summer Revely
Featured image courtesy of Clark Young via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of Stefano Bucciarelli via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
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