Finding Flow in Writing

by Tracy Steen, Ph.D.

Have you ever heard someone talk about being "in flow"? It is similar to being "in the zone" (the mental state, not the diet!). Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced "chik SENT me high") was the first to describe flow as a state of being. It occurs when we are completely absorbed in a challenging task that is just slightly beneath our skill level. We are challenged but not to the point of frustration.

When people are asked to name an instance when they experience flow, a common answer is "when I am writing." Many of you have already experienced writing as a flow experience. Have you ever been so caught up in writing a friend an e-mail that you did not notice time passing? Perhaps an intended "five minute e-mail break" stretched into a 45 minute e-mail break because you were so absorbed in what you were writing. You were in flow.

You may even have experienced a flow state while working on your dissertation. If you have not, I will tell you why it is worthwhile to transform writing into a flow-producing activity and what you can do to make yourself more likely to obtain this desirable state.

1. What is Flow?

First, let me describe flow in more detail. As I mentioned above, time seems to slow or stop when you are in flow. Hours pass by like minutes. Think of a time when you were so absorbed in conversation that you were shocked to find how much time had elapsed since the conversation began. You were likely in flow.

Another characteristic of flow is the tendency to be unaware of little other than the task at hand--You don't pay attention to background noises, and you tend to have few thoughts unrelated to what you are doing.

2. Why is Flow Worth Pursuing?

Why would we want to be in flow? Does it make us feel happy? Interestingly, Csikszentmihalyi suggests that we do not experience happiness or any other emotions or inner state) while in a flow state. Even chronic pain can be ignored while in flow. This makes sense when you consider that flow is characterized by total absorption in the task at hand. To experience happiness or pain or any other internal state, ee would need to divert our attention from the flow activity. It is only after we have stopped the activity that we can look back on the experience with satisfaction, interest, awe, or happiness.

Consider those times when you were able to overcome procrastination and anxiety and just WRITE for a page or two. It feels good, doesn't it?

3. The Lure of Doing Nothing

About halfway through my dissertation process, I found myself yearning to do absolutely nothing. I wanted nothing more than a completely unscheduled, unobligated, and ultimately unproductive day in which I could just watch TV, read a trashy book, or even stare at the wall.

Knowing what I do now about motivation, I most certainly would have given myself permission to take a day or two off every now and then to do absolutely nothing.

Passive leisure activities feel wonderful...in the right dosage. However, as you probably know from experience, too much television or internet surfing or video game playing can leave you feeling restless or depressed. Indeed, studies by Csikszentmihalyi and other positive psychology researchers indicate that the happiest people are those who spend most of their time in challenging, flow-producing activities (and only some of their time watching talk shows or reading TV guide).

4. Twin Enemies of Flow: Anxiety and Impatience

So why haven't you experienced flow more often when writing? I see two primary obstacles to transforming the dissertation experience into a flow playground: anxiety and impatience.

We know that flow occurs when our skills are just slightly greater than what the task demands. Believe it or not, all of us who have progressed this far in our doctoral programs have sufficient skills to complete a dissertation. (Just accept it. You are not an academic imposter waiting to be discovered at any moment; you did not just slide through the cracks, etc.) It is up to you to take ownership of the process and see to it that you are challenged without being overwhelmed.

Anxiety occurs when we doubt our abilities or when we allow stress related to committee members, roommates, spouses, and anyone or anything else) to leave us frazzled and unable to focus.

Do whatever you can to leave your anxiety behind when you sit down to write. Anxiety is a flow killer!

The second obstacle to flow concerns our attention. According to Csikszentmihalyi, we cannot expect to turn on a switch and be in flow. It takes some time to get into what we are doing. Csikszentmihalyi calls this "activation energy" and it takes effort and attention. If you give in to the temptation to check e-mail every five minutes while writing, you cannot expect to find flow in your work.

What if you find the work so tedious and boring that you cannot possibly write for more than a few minutes before getting a snack, making a phone call, doing some "research" on the internet, playing a quick game of computer solitaire, or rechecking your e-mail? Csikszentmihalyi made the observation that things cannot become interesting unless we pay attention to them. (This falls into the "It's-so-obvious-why-didn't-I-say-it-first-category.") By focusing, really focusing, on the particular story we are trying to tell or mechanism we are trying to explain or point we are trying to argue, we seize control of our experience and make flow (and a better quality of life) possible.

Summary

What follows is a summary of what you can do to transform your dissertation into a flow activity.

a. For flow to occur, the task must be just within your abilities. So whatever part of your dissertation you are working on, find your challenge.

b. Flow occurs when you are engaged, not anxious. Do what you can to reduce your anxiety before sitting down to write. Go for a run, listen to relaxing music, put your worries on paper and then analyze them with a critical eye. Do whatever works best for you. Several past issues of the "ABD Survival Guide" offer excellent suggestions for dealing with anxiety (http://www.ecoach.com/).

c. You need to allow some time to get into what you are doing for flow to occur. Of course it is smart to rest and take breaks while writing. Just don't take them at five minute intervals.

d. Flow happens when you are completely engaged in the task at hand. Don't distract yourself by thinking about whether or not you are in flow. Just write!

Additional Readings About Flow

If you are interested in reading more about flow, I recommend the following books by Csikszentmihalyi: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience and Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement With Everyday Life.


About Tracy Steen, Ph.D.
Tracy Steen, Ph.D., is a psychologist and life coach in Philadelphia, PA. Her passion is helping students and professionals meet their writing goals. In addition to offering individual coaching via telephone, Dr. Steen leads workshops (via telephone) about the writing process. Her colleague, Dr. Carol Kauffman, joins her in leading these workshops. Both Dr. Steen and Dr. Kauffman have successfully made the transition from dissertation- challenged graduate students to published authors.