Limitless

Stage 2: Relaxation This is the break you take before fully diving into flow. It is an essential step, as it keeps you from burning out over the struggle you’ve just been through.

This break—a walk, some breathing, anything that helps you relax—is decidedly different from a distraction such as moving on to another task or checking sports scores.

finding flow is the “source code” of motivation.

Once we start to feel flow in an experience,

Once we start to feel flow in an experience, we are motivated to do what it takes to get more.

if you have motivation to accomplish a task but you have no flow, you will eventually burn out.

Motivation and flow need to work together, and they must be coupled with a solid recovery protocol, like good sleep and nutrition.

you’re going to want to get yourself into a flow state as often as possible.

If you’re going to find yourself in a flow state, eliminating distractions is absolutely essential.

It can take you up to 20 minutes to reconnect with what you’re doing after you’ve been distracted from doing it.

Make sure you have a block of time set aside to get into flow. It’s commonly believed that, when conditions are right, it takes about 15 minutes to achieve a flow state and that you don’t really hit your peak for closer to 45 minutes. Clearing out only half an hour or so isn’t going to allow you to accomplish much.

Make sure you have a block of time set aside to get into flow. It’s commonly believed that, when conditions are right, it takes about 15 minutes to achieve a flow state and that you don’t really hit your peak for closer to 45 minutes. Clearing out only half an hour or so isn’t going to allow you to accomplish much. Plan to set aside at least 90 minutes, and ideally a full two hours.

If you find certain annoyances in something you’re doing, or if you find it to be dull much of the time, these negatives are going to prevent you from truly getting into the flow.

One of the most efficient flow preventers is a lack of clarity.

people who multitask are considerably less productive than those who focus on one task at a time.

Clear your schedule of everything else and get into the flow.

If you have lots of outside stressors in your life—deadlines, relationship issues, family problems, worries about your job security, etc.—they’re likely to sneak up on you at any given moment.

if there’s anything that you absolutely must deal with before you can get into flow. If the answer is yes, address that first.

But in all likelihood, the answer will be no. It isn’t that the stressors aren’t real, but they often don’t need your immediate attention, and they aren’t going to be worse two hours from now.

“Perfectionism reduces creativity and innovation