My job involves two of my favorite things – music and flow.
What is flow? Flow is getting in the groove, flow is zoning in, flow is tuning out, flow is dropping into your own world and working single-mindedly. While the idea has been around for awhile, flow has recently been showing up on the radar again as an answer to the flaws of multitasking. Here is an excellent article about getting into flow. Once you’re in you will probably find you work better and faster, and get frustrated and overwhelmed less.
And for me an important part of getting into and staying in the flow is having the right music playing. While I love to experience new music, having on songs I’ve never heard before distracts part of my brain into trying to listen and evaluate them. What I look for in flow music are songs that I know and that keep my heartrate up, which helps me stay excited about what I’m doing.
With that in mind I’ve compiled an iTunes playlist of some of my more recent favorite songs for getting into flow. These songs are mostly techno/dance/rock inspired, and should help speed you along as you drop into your own world for a few hours. Here’s the iMix.
How do you get into the flow?
4 Comments
t.fitz 11.22.2008
flow is huge in the rock climbing community. some famous climbers (i.e. steph davis) also get into the flow with music. she climbs thounsands of difficult vertical feet with out ropes while listening to her iPod. personally i get into the flow with adrenaline. it has only truly happened to me a couple times while rock/ice climbing, the most intense and hardest routes i’ve done. it has also happened to me once so far in the Army. it was during a ambush battle drill in the woods. did you take the pic. apt?
Apt Design 11.24.2008
Thanks for the comment T.Fitz. I did take the picture at the top of a local mountain. My hiking buddy and I were in the flow for quite a while that day. Eventually getting lost knocked us out of it though. Climbing the last few feet we finally cleared the mist we had been in all day and looked back down at this incredible view!
omingo 01.6.2009
while I agree that correct tune-age is critical to my work flow, i also find that I’m pretty much worthless on an empty stomach. Having snacks strategically placed throughout my workspace, along with a warm or bubbly beverage, helps keep the creativity flowing.
Apt Design 01.6.2009
Good call Oly. My work also grinds to a halt when I get thirsty. I keep a water bottle on the desk all day. Though sometimes being a little hungry helps me keep the edge on.