It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?
~ Henry David Thoreau
Hello Friend!
If you are not too busy, perhaps we can discuss what we are busy about. If you are anything like me, there is plenty in your life that keeps you running from one thing to another. Perhaps it wasn’t a conscious decision to become so busy. The filling of our calendar can be an insidious process.
So when was the last time you had a chance to engage in an activity you found extremely rewarding? You know the kind. When you get knee deep in a task and before you know it, several hours have gone by. Perhaps you experience this writing, praying, trying a new recipe, or even attempting to master pickleball. How do you feel when you are lost in concentration on a task you find challenging and rewarding? After an afternoon in the studio designing and making jewelry, I know I feel a sense of accomplishment and well being.
Well, turns out there is a name for this state. Flow.
The state of flow has some basic characteristics. First, it occurs when one is fully engaged in a task. Think strong attention, focus, or even absorption. Second, one experiences low levels of self-referential thinking. Self-referential thinking is the process of relating information from the outside world to the self. This can often take negative forms such as rumination, worrying, and self-criticism. Third, the difficulty of the task must match the person’s skill set. If the task is too easy, boredom results. If it is too hard, then frustration results. Fourth, the person feels a sense of control, purpose, and direction. They will probably feel that “time flies.”
Ok. So why should we care? And really, who has the time to find a state of flow these days?
I would argue, as a member of a culture drowning in an epidemic of mental illness, that we should use every tool at our disposal to fight it. Depression and anxiety can leave us feeling a sense of failure, despair, and self-loathing. But those who have experienced flow will say they feel a sense of accomplishment, meaningfullness, and a positive mood. I believe flow can play a powerful role in well being.
I believe in the importance of flow so much I have made it part of the foundation and mission of my business. #FindYourEbbandFlow means you find meaning in your activities and tasks, or find tasks that have meaning to you. It means taking an inventory of your time and where you spend your energy. It also means making tough choices and perhaps cutting things out of your schedule that might seem important, but are actually dragging you down. But first, you need to give yourself permission to do it.
Our Lord said it best when he was speaking to Martha and Mary.
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.
Luke 10:41-42
Do you experience flow? What tasks are you engaged in when you enter the flow state? How do you carve out time to experience flow? I would love to hear from you!
