In a world in which there is no shortage of digital distractions it can be hard to get into the flow of working a project, studying, or simply sitting and thinking for a while. That’s why I like what Engageable is trying to do, why I appreciate the work of Cal Newport, and why I was happy to see a new TED-Ed video about entering a state of flow.
TED-Ed’s new lesson, How to Enter Flow State, explains why it can be difficult to enter a flow state, why sometimes it’s easier than others to enter a flow state, and the mental effects of getting into a flow state. Interestingly, the video is actually fairly light on tips for how to to actually enter a flow state of mind. It provides the same tips that you’ve probably heard before. Those are things like setting small, achievable goals for a work session and work in a quiet, distraction-free environment.
The video from the lesson is embedded below.
Applications for Education
Last fall TED-Ed published a lesson that explains why people procrastinate even when it feels bad. I would show students the lesson about procrastination before showing them the one about how to get into a workflow. With the knowledge of why they procrastinate, students might be more interested in learning how to get into a workflow to get things done.
