Zone Positive offers eight courses which apply the proven principles of positive psychology to help you thrive in your work life. Our courses are often taken to earn recertification credits in human resources, coaching and other fields.
This course covers the topic of Engagement, or flow as it is often called. Flow is experienced when you are deeply delving into an activity where your strengths are engaged in the pursuit of clear, challenging goals that you can achieve.
Flow is a key component of creativity and produces deeply gratifying experiences.
The key to entering the flow state involves reaching the appropriate level of challenge in relation to our skills. Envision a simple chart to grasp this powerful concept. On the “y-axis,” we find increasing levels of challenge, from low to high. Near the bottom are very simple activities that you can do without much effort. As you approach the top, the activities become more complex and challenging. Next, we look to the “x-axis,” which gauges our ascending levels of skill or ability in a given activity. Intersecting the chart, we see the “channel of flow.” This is the “sweet spot” where the level of challenge is optimally suited to our skill set. When these match up well, we are likely to experience flow.
However, if the level of challenge is too high in relation to our abilities, we are likely to experience anxiety. Conversely, if the level of challenge is too small in relation to our capabilities, then we may experience boredom. Flow occurs when we find just the right amount of challenge to match our abilities. Neither bored, nor anxious, we are able to completely throw ourselves into, and lose ourselves in the activity.
