Have you had those days where it seems everything is going right, and you and your team are really “in the zone” getting things done? Most of us love to have those days and are searching to experience these wonderful moments more frequently. Massive productivity comes when we are “in the zone” and firing on all cylinders. Being in this zone of optimization is often a state of mental focus and very positive energy moving forward with our work at hand. The Flow State encompasses these experiences, and for orthodontic teams looking to increase the state of Flow, the good news is that there is science and study behind it.
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi coined the term of being in a state of Flow in 1975 and has spoken of Flow as a secret to happiness. Studies have found that Flow can improve workplace satisfaction and accomplishment. It also helps teams to grow. To experience Flow, we should have clear goals, immediate feedback, and a balance between opportunity and capacity.
The eight characteristics of Flow
- Complete concentration
- Clear goals and immediate feedback
- Transformation of time (speeding up/slowing down)
- The experience is rewarding
- The experience can feel effortless
- A balance between challenge and skills
- We merge actions and awareness, so we lose rumination
- A feeling of control over the task
When we enter a state of Flow, nothing else seems to matter. We don’t focus on worry and problems. We simply hyperfocus on the task or tasks at hand. In addition, we get a tremendous sense of control of our situation while feeling that the experience is truly rewarding. Flow also leads us into a time warp where it either seems to go faster (time flies when you’re having fun) or slows down, where we accomplish tremendous work in a short timeframe.
Flow is a state of optimal experience where we equally match challenges and skills. Seeking Flow amongst teams can be facilitated by balancing an increasing challenge with skill training to drive a wedge between the anxiety of difficult work and the boredom of routine work. Find the Flow channel for your orthodontic team and see the wonderful benefits of Flow.
