How to achieve the Flow State for studying effectively
INTRODUCTION: THE FLOWTIME TECHNIQUE FOR STUDYING
The flowtime technique is a modified version of the Pomodoro technique. As you know, time is an invaluable resource, more so now than ever. People are in a rush to maximize their productivity in order to get the maximum amount of things done in a shorter span.
The Flowtime technique is a productivity and time management technique that enables you to be in the “Flow state”. The Flow state is when you’re fully immersed in a particular task. You’re focused, your productivity levels are very high, and your work seems almost effortless. You can achieve a lot with minimal effort by being in the flow state. However, getting into this flow state takes some practice, which is what the Flowtime technique is designed to do.
You can read a detailed post on the Flowtime technique here.
Because of its advantages, many students like to use the Flowtime method for studying. Keep reading to know more about it and how it can help you while studying!
HOW TO GET INTO THE FLOW STATE OF STUDYING EASILY
1. get into a comfortable position
If you’re not comfortable, your mind will constantly be distracted by something or the other. Luckily, getting into a comfortable position is not that difficult. You can modify your surrounding environment and physical factors so that you feel comfortable. Try to adjust the temperature of your room if possible to what feels the best to you. Other things you can do to help you get into the flow state quickly and easily are:
- Wear comfortable clothes
- Control for excess light and sound
- Listen to relaxing music
- Sit in a comfortable position
These are small changes you can make to ensure you feel comfortable. Doing this can enable your brain to then focus its complete attention on the activity that you’re doing. This will make the process of getting into the flow state of studying easier for you.
2. identify the best time to study for you
Are you an early bird or a night owl? Knowing your preferences is very important as this will help you identify when you’re the most productive. The flow state requires your brain to be alert and fully functioning. So getting into the flow state will be an uphill battle if you feel tired and drained of energy.
If you find that you cant study efficiently at a particular time of the day, then avoid trying to get into the flow state for studying. The flow state will help minimize your study time and should be reserved for when you feel your best and most productive. Knowing when that time is can allow you to plan your day better and more efficiently.
3. remove distractions around you
To get into the flow state, your brain must be absorbed in one task completely. If you’re constantly distracted, your brain won’t be able to get into the flow state. Most of us continually face digital distractions. Let’s face it; they’re everywhere!
But the good news is that it’s not that difficult to overcome them.
All you need to do is step away from the distractions for a particular period of time. You can do so by physically keeping your digital devices in a different room, out of sight, or by turning them on silent and switching off the alerts. Better still, just switch off the devices when you intend to focus. There are certain useful apps that help you avoid these distractions by restricting the usage of your phone for a specific period.
4. focus on just one task
Even though multitasking seems quite efficient, especially nowadays when we’re always running out of time to do things, it’s not the practical solution your think it is. In fact, many studies have been done that show that multitasking actually decreases productivity. Here is a short and interesting exercise you can do to test that out for yourself.
The decrease in productivity happens because our brains are incapable of performing multiple tasks at once the way we think they do. When we switch from one task to another, we force our brains to switch gears, thus forcing them to work harder.
That’s why one of the pillars of the flow state is to focus on one and one thing only. As you continue to engage in one particular activity, you naturally become more engrossed in it over time. No, it’s not your imagination. Focusing on one task at a time results in higher productivity, lowers stress levels, and makes you happier.
To achieve the flow state while studying, focus on one topic of a particular subject. If you jump from reading something about Shakespeare to solving a math equation, you’ll never be able to get into the flow state. You’ll exhaust your brain by trying to do multiple things at once. If you study just one subject, you’ll be able to get into the flow state of studying and complete more in less time and with less effort.
So instead of trying to (unsuccessfully) do multiple things simultaneously, keep your focus on a single task.
5. focus on your interest and motivation
Studies show that if you’re interested in what you’re doing, you’re more likely to reach the flow state. Notice how I said “interested” and not “like” because, cmon, how many students actually like studying?!
But there is a high chance that you might not be interested in every topic of every subject that you study. What should you do then? This is where your purpose and motivation come into the picture. You might absolutely hate a subject but need to study it to complete your total number of credits. Does that mean you are doomed? Of course not!
Your purpose here will be to get good grades in that subject to get your degree. As long as the purpose of why you’re doing what you’re doing is clear in your head, it will be easier for you to let go of that frustration and anger while studying. “Why am I learning this when I’m never going to use it in my life?” “Ugh, why didn’t I choose that other subject like so many of my friends?” Don’t worry, we have all felt this at some point!
Once your purpose is clear, you’ll be more focused and, therefore more likely to get into the flow state of studying.
6. Have a healthy state of mind
If you’re not in the right headspace, it’ll be tough for you to get into the flow state of studying. When you are stressed, your concentration levels and ability to focus decrease. If you think about it, not having a healthy mind is like having a constant internal distraction.
Here are some things you can do for your mental health:
- Meditate
- Exercise regularly
- Practice journaling
- Take up other mindfulness practices
Sometimes you might feel bored, stressed, or anxious for no reason, and that’s okay. None of us can always be in the right headspace. In that case, take a break and do something you enjoy, even if it is only for some time. If you’re short of time (I mean. who isn’t while in college), at least shift your focus to doing some tasks or chores that don’t require too much of your brain power. When you feel refreshed again, get back to trying to get into the flow state of studying.
But if you often feel these negative emotions, do reach out for help. Always remember, it’s okay to not be okay.
7. find the right level of difficulty
Another essential factor to achieving the flow state for studying is the level of difficulty of what you’re studying. It’s challenging to enter the state of flow if the material is too difficult. But what if it’s too easy? You should be able to enter the flow state easily, right?
Wrong. If the topic you are studying is too easy, you tend to get bored quickly. Because you’re not entirely utilizing your brain power in that activity, your mind wanders off, thus preventing you from reaching the flow state.
For you to enter the flow state, your task should be easy enough that you tackle it without getting stressed and challenging enough to engage your brain. The perfect task to achieve the flow state would be one that matches the level of skills you have with the level of skills required for that task.
8. Set a tangible goal
Goal setting is always important and recommended whenever you want to achieve something. This is because setting goals keep you accountable and help you track your progress. One of the requirements of the flow state is unitasking, i.e., focusing on just one task.
If you don’t set a tangible goal, you might end up switching tasks before completing them just because you’re bored. This is obviously not the ideal scenario. Before starting a study session, set a specific goal for what you want to achieve from the session.
Avoid making broad statements like “Finish studying for the math test.” That might be your goal but write down the specifics. What topics? How many problems?
If you feel worried looking at your goal, break it into smaller goals. So the above goal can be broken down into “Revise derivatives and finish solving 20 problems on that topic.” If 20 seems too much for you, change it to 10 or even 5. This is in line with the point above. Your goal should be challenging but not so tricky that you don’t feel like starting.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I hope this post helps you get into the flow state while studying. The flowtime study technique has been proven to be quite efficient, so if you can get into the Flow state, you’ll be able to save lots of time and energy. If you’ve never tried it before, you should certainly give it a try!
Have you ever tried the Flowtime technique for studying? Let me know your experience in the comments below!
