Flow State: A Guide To Falling In Love With Work Again

by Greg Hilton | May 10, 2024 | Featured, Good Stuff, Knowledge Bomb, Why We Hustle

How To Get Into “The Zone”, Find Peak Performance and Make Work Suck Less

Let’s Go To The Flow (State)

So, I’ve been doing creative work for years and if there’s one thing I know…it’s that there’s no better place or feeling than being in flow. For solopreneurs, self-employed individuals, and creative professionals, tapping into the elusive state of flow can be transformative. it can feel elusive or fleeting, but it doesn’t have to. In this guide, we’ll explore how understanding and harnessing flow state can revolutionize your productivity and creativity.

And if your income depends on you delivering, the stakes are high.  But, we really do think you can create the conditions that lead to better outcomes and better work. So read on intrepid creator!  ⛰️

Understanding Flow State

Coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, flow state is the pinnacle of focus and immersion in an activity. It’s that magical feeling of being “in the zone,” where time seems to vanish, distractions fade away, and productivity soars. But, how do you know when you’re there? You’ll know you’ve reached that nirvana when you’re experiencing any or all of the following:

1. Intense Focus: You’re immersed completely in your work, shutting out distractions and honing in on the task at hand. The simplicity of being focused creates a warm bubble around you and nothing else really matters.  
   
   
2. Loss of Self-awareness: Experience a blissful detachment from self-consciousness and time, as you become absorbed in your work.  Really tHis just means all the internal distractions have subsided or moved waaaay back in your mind.  
   
   
3. Effortless Action:  Feel a sense of ease and fluency in your actions, where tasks seem to unfold effortlessly. Have you ever looked up from a project or skated it with a colleague and they were like “holy shit, this is a ton of work.” That’s the result when its “effortless”.   I remember being in the zone on a outdoor tourism project I was working on.  I pretty much mapped out and generated 50 pages of content in like 8 hours. The client couldn’t believe it. 
   
   
4. Timelessness:  You enter a state where time becomes irrelevant, either flying by or standing still, as you remain engrossed in the present moment. We don’t recommend you miss too many drink and snack breaks, but when time is less relevant, cool things happen.  I experience this timelessness in my personal life when I’m crafting outdoor furniture (a new hobby – obsession – of mine) I get so into it that I miss meals.  It’s kind of magical.
   
   
5. Intrinsic Motivation: You feel driven by an internal desire to excel and succeed in your endeavors. This is “embracing the challenge” with curiosity and child mind.  You’ve pushed past the “I’ve got to get this done” due to some external pressure. You are in this for the craft and experience.
   

8 Strategies To Find, Sustain (and Revisit) Flow State 🔥

1. Set Clear Goals: Define precise and attainable objectives for your projects to provide a roadmap for your efforts and maintain focus. And if you’re feeling froggy, make one of those goals to “experiment” with whatever you’re working on (see below). 🎯
   
   
2. Match Challenge with Skill: Engage in tasks that leverage your abilities while presenting a moderate level of challenge to foster optimal conditions for flow.  Listen.  Here’s the magic.  You can’t do things well that you’ve never done before so flow state happens when you’re leveraging your skills and pushing yourself just a little bit outside your comfort zone.  So, My pal Gene Crawford equates this to the magic he experiences when he’s practicing martial arts.  He’s put the work in for years so the flow and routine are there, but he’s taking this thing he does well and pushing himself to new limits.  Sort of like the “1% every day” concept.  💪
   
   
3. Minimize Distractions: Create a distraction-free workspace by silencing notifications, finding a quiet corner, and prioritizing uninterrupted work periods. To do deep work, you MUST eliminate distractions.  On average distractions make anything we’re working on take 3X as long.  So, do yourself a favor and turn it all off.  The world will be okay and you owe it to whatever you’re working on (PS: And while you’re at it, come book one of our focus meeting rooms at SOCO – you’re welcome). 🎧
   
   
4. Cultivate Deep Focus:  Incorporate mindfulness practices like deep breathing and meditation into your routine to enhance concentration. This is a muscle and skill that most of us don’t have or is very weak.  Stay fully present in your work, channeling your energy into the present moment to maximize focus and productivity. 🔬
   
   Need help training your mind and body in simple ways to enter a more focused state.  Tip: Try a mindfulness app like Headspace for 30 days and see how It impacts your days.
   
   
5. Embrace Flow Triggers:  Identify activities or rituals that consistently evoke flow state and incorporate them into your routine.  Be prepared to launch, but one of my best flow triggers is when I open up Spotify and dial in the Calm Radio station.  It triggers something in my brain that tells me “it’s time to focus, Greg”.  Find your rituals and do them regularly before you get dialed in. 🚦
   
   
6. Embrace Failure as Feedback: Listen.  If you’re doing creative work (especially), better outcomes come from failure.  Creating is an iterative process and you need to make time and space to experiment, fail and learn.  Learn about “the child mind” and embrace this way of looking at whatever it is you’re working on.  You’ll thank me for it. 💡
   
   
7. Engage in Challenging Activities Regularly: Seek out opportunities that push your boundaries and expand your capabilities to strengthen your skill set.  If you stay in your safe, comfortable space then you’ll have a lot of trouble creating great things.  Get your mind and body comfortable being uncomfortable and you’ll unlock a lot more productivity and results. 🏋🏾‍♀️
   
   
8. Chill Out With Rigid Structures: And maybe don’t try so hard to “architect” your perfect flow state. Here’s a great post from Dan Martin where he advocates for a less rigid approach to embracing your flow state. 🧊
   
   

Conclusion

By integrating these strategies into your regular work routine, you can cultivate an environment conducive to flow state, unlocking your full potential as a solo entrepreneur or creative professional. Embrace the journey of discovering and maintaining flow state, and enjoy the joy of doing great work again people.  You’re worth it. 🫶🏽

Need a Little More Inspiration? ✨

Looking to stay in this flow state zen a little longer? Check out Gene and I’s recent conversation on the topic on The Communal Podcast here.  We get into to our own personal practices, our struggles with Flow State and some tips we’ve picked up along the way.

About The Author:

Greg Hilton is the cofounder and managing partner for SOCO, SOCO is a thriving platform and community focused on supporting creators, indie workers and entrepreneurs just like you. He’s an avid outdoorsman, creator and storyteller. He’s also been self-employed and a business owner for nearly two decades and has worked with hundreds of solos, creators and entrepreneurs to help them lead better and more meaningful lives.

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8 Planning Tips To Help You Walk Into 2024 On Fire 🔥

by Greg Hilton | Dec 20, 2023 | Featured, Good Stuff, Knowledge Bomb, Why We Hustle

Get Ready to Have Your Best Year Yet With Some Simple Planning Guidance

So, How’d Your Year Go?

“Dumpster fire”. “Lucky I Just Survived”. “I crushed it like a tin can:, Or simply “meh…”. These are all acceptable answers, but we should endeavor to dig a little deeper. And with the holidays upon us our annual “get out of jail free” card is back. We get to wipe the slate clean.

Every year, around this time, I try to slow things down just a bit and take some time to think about the year that was: What I accomplished. What didn’t go so well. How the journey felt along the way (that matters a lot). I also ask myself some easy and hard questions around what my hopes, dreams and goals are for the next year. We like to think about the future around SOCO. We like to lay out some “destinations” we’d like to get to in that future. I don’t care so much about how we get there because there are a bunch of different ways.

Ready To Have a Better Next Year Than This Year?

Me too. I really think that life is just a series of experiments. Little baby experiments where we learn things and make incremental progress. I fully subscribe to the “1% Every Day” concept. I think it’s a fundamental part of our existence as human beings….to evolve.

So, let’s talk about how we can take stock, hit reset and position ourselves to have our best year yet. Have some ideas to add? Drop them in the comment below. So, here’s to your evolution in the new year my friends. We can do this (together). So, let’s go!

8 Planning Tips To Start Next Year On Fire 🔥

1. Take time to reflect on the year that was, really – Make sure you celebrate your hard fought wins, but don’t forget to also acknowledge areas where you struggled.  This is the growth mindset…get you some (and write them down).  I bet if you’re intentional about exploring all you’ve accomplished this year….your cup will runneth over. 🥂
   
   
2. Refill Your Cup – Speaking of cups. No one can run hard 24/7.  Take time to nourish your mind, body, spirit and relationships.  Rest.  Sleep. Laugh.  Do something to really take care of yourself over the break.  Be intentional about rewarding yourself.  😴
   
   
3. Commit To Kicking Imposter Syndrome – Here’s are some facts that I’ve uncovered through 20 years in business. Everyone is full of shit. Everyone has ridden the struggle bus at one point. And everyone has something they are truly wonderful at. And lastly…you and me both deserve the success the we have worked so hard to achieve (however you define that). So, stop thinking you can’t do it. Kick that fear to the curb. 😔
   
   
4. Set Some Reasonable Goals – Focus on growth.  On getting better.  On improving.  Set some goals that you can achieve, given your resources and situation.  Write them down and share them.  And while you’re at it, do personal and professional goals.  Because we are whole people.  🎯
   
   
5. Create a Bias Towards Action – It’s amazing how the first 3 months of the year set the tone for the rest.  Position yourself to take action early in the year.  🏃🏿
   
   
6. Get An “Accountabili-buddy” – We’re way more likely to get the work done when we’re not the only ones we’re “reporting to”.  Find a friend or colleague that you can share your goals with and commit to regular check-ins with each other.  Accountability is crucial.  👐🏼
   
   
7. Send something big out into the universe – Challenge yourself to think and act bigger by writing down and sharing an audacious goal.  Something that’s not very safe.  You have permission to dream a little (and fail).  What’s most likely is that your big crazy goal will push you farther (even if you miss the mark) and you’ll grow.  💥
   
   
8. Just Don’t Give Up – Here’s something else we’ve learned. Success can be about outthinking, out hustling or out maneuvering the competition. But, normally…it’s just about outlasting them. If you believe in what you are doing, then make a commitment to not stop. Regardless of what life throws at you in the new year…don’t stop. Don’t give up. Don’t give in to fear. Be bold.. Be audacious.. Be true to yourself. Don’t stop until you’ve reached your destination. 💪🏽

Need a Little More Inspiration?

Looking for a little more inspo as you roll into the New Year? Check out this great episode on the Communal podcast as Greg and Gene expose a fundamental truth: failure is not the end, but a critical step of personal and professional evolution. We open up about fear, resilience and personal growth.  If you need a reset for 2024, this might just be your medicine.  

About The Author:

Greg Hilton is the cofounder and managing partner for SOCO, SOCO is a thriving platform and community focused on supporting creators, indie workers and entrepreneurs just like you. He’s an avid outdoorsman, creator and storyteller. He’s also been self-employed and a business owner for nearly two decades and has worked with hundreds of solos, creators and entrepreneurs to help them lead better and more meaningful lives.

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#GetaLife: 10 Productivity Approaches To Own Your Week

by Greg Hilton | Oct 26, 2023 | Featured, Good Stuff, Knowledge Bomb, Why We Hustle

10 Productivity approaches to explore to get the work done and make time for life.

You Ain’t Gotta Go To Work, Work, Work, Work

But, as the song goes, you gotta put in the work. I love the idea of work, intellectually. It’s really interesting. We all have to do it. We (almost) all assign a lot of value in our lives to our “work product” or how we contribute to the world. Some of us “go to work” to feed our families. Some of us go to work because we’re driven to make a difference. Most of us, are striving to a little bit of both. We have crazy busy lives AND a lot of stuff (hopefully) that fills our cup outside of work. But, most weeks it feels like there is WAY (LIKE WAY) too much to get done and many of us find ourselves sitting there on Friday frustrated that our efforts fell short of our ambitions.

How In The World Do We Get It All Done?

Good. Me too. I know my purpose. I know why I work. It’s to provide for my family, make the world a better place and move us all forward. I’m working towards a goal of being financially independent, of having the ability to do what I want, when I want and with people that have meaning to me. But, man…some weeks just feel like I’m riding in a literally dumpster as it careens down the hill on fire. Does this sounds like you? If so, this question is for you. How can we do both? Do big, meaningful work AND live a rich full lives outside of work; filled with friends, family, community.

Ever Heard of Parkinson’s Law?

It’s this theory penned by a humorist named Cyril Northcote Parkinson, which essentially says “Hey dummy. There’s a reason that you get to the end of your day/week/month feeling like a failure. The work will just expand to fill up your life if you don’t have a system in place.” Parkinson’s Law was first used to explain why bureacracies get bigger, But, it’s also super helpful as a way of thinking about loads of different types of work, including PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY.

So, if you find yourself on the struggle bus, In part, you have this asshole’s theory to thank for it. But, you also need to take a hard look in the mirror and realize that it’s on you too and not some dude from the 50’s.

Ready To Make Some Productivity Changes?

You and me both friend. A few months ago, I started a journey to casually investigate some of the things that others are doing to get more productivity out of their weeks AND I started experimenting with some of these same approaches myself.
So, let’s commit to some things.

1. We can and will take control of our work weeks.
2. We WILL prioritize our lives outside of work more
3. We SHALL commit to understanding the difference between busy work and meaningful work.
4. We are committed and open to loving/respecting ourselves enough to figure out what works best for us.
5. And yes….we will be open to trying new shit. That chid mind is the only way to embrace these new approaches (because some will be hard).

10 Approaches to Productivity That Might Save Your Week

Okay! With the above commitments in hand, here are some solid approaches that you can use in our company, with. your team and in your personal life to end more weeks better than you started them. I’ve learned some productivity lessons the hard way from being self-employed and a business owner for nearly 20 years.

1. Really Understand Your Week: David Baker of Punctuation.com said it best. “There are three kinds of days in your week. “Get Shit Off Your Plate” days, “Create High Value” days and “Live in Context” Days. Know that each of these will need regular attention, but know which ones help you create the kind of momentum you need. 🙄
   
   
2. Set Reasonable Expectations/Goals: Just trust me on this one. There is mental and emotional momentum you generate when you finish things. And the opposite occurs when you end the week with a massive to do list still intact. Remember, part of this game is getting good at work so you don’t take it home and into your personal time (which is vitally important). 🎯
   
   
3. Prioritize “Crucial” Stuff: Remember those “Create High Value” days? Know what’s important to get done and what’s not and make the priorities just that. In our shop, we call them “crucial results”. Simply put, they are the things that fall into one of two categories: Getting them done either generates big results and momentum (ex: “If we can ship this proposal, we’ll be in the running for that major account.”) OR prevents bad things from happening (ex: “If I don’t get this product launched by Wednesday, we’re going to miss the big announcement date.”). 💥
   
   
4. Time Block or Else: Listen. If you’re not protecting creative time, strategic time or deep work time, then that’s on you. Some stuff just simply requires you to unplug and stay laser focused. I practice time blocking regularly for important stuff, but I also time block banks of “nothing on the calendar” time to batch the things that roll into my view that I do need to deal with just not in the moment. Here’s a great article on time blocking for you from our friends at todoist. ⏲️
   
   
5. Try Monk Mode: Have trouble with focus? Try to be like a monk. Monk mode is a period of enhanced focus, discipline, and productivity where you eliminate as many distractions as you can and commit yourself to completing a goal. It’s good for task management, but it’s an even better life practice that can be applied to lots of things. But, you have to create the right environment. I enjoyed this productivity read from Jeroen V on Medium. It helped me better understand what monk mode is and how it’s an approach to life (and not just a productivity hack). 🧘🏼
   
   
6. Eliminate Distractions: Need to do some deep work or some focused work? Why the hell do you bring all the distractions of modern day work and life with you? That’s simply cray cray. Turn off the phone (or at least put it in do not disturb). Put do not disturb setting on you laptop. Find a distraction free place to get that work done (remember those workspaces? Way better than your home office or a coffee shop for deep work). Silence the chimes, pushes, pings, etc. Every time you pause to look, read, listen etc you throw yourself off your game and get nothing done. 🦗
   
   
7. Explore The Pomodoro Technique: If you are looking for a smart way to bang out a bunch of smaller tasks within a timeframe and normally have a lot of open ended tasks that could take forever if you let them, try the Pomodoro Technique. It’s an approach where you break tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks with dedicated short timeframes. Think of it like a “mini-sprint” with breaks. Here’s a good read on how to implement this. Promodor = Productivity 🏃🏾‍♀️
   
   
8. Take Breaks: Yes. Take breaks. Pomodoro says so. 😊 Take a 10 minute break for every hour of focused work you put in. Change your scenery when you find yourself being unfocused or stuck (walk anyone?). Breaks also serve up a bonus…build in an automatic water bottle chugging 30-second session into your break to make sure you stay hydrated all day. For me, every time I use the bathroom, I take a 30-second pit stop at the water fountain. Non-negotiable. #HydrateorDie
   
   
9. Wrangle Your Meetings: Listen. I’m collaborative. I love meetings with others. I think they are super valuable for creativity/innovation. At the same time, I know people who literally don’t ever get out of their chairs b/c they are in an endless stream of meetings (that’s not right or healthy). If meetings make your list of “things that I think get in the way of me doing great work”, then do something about it. Can you cut a meeting time in half with a more focused agenda? Are there meetings that aren’t 100% critical that you be there for? Delete. Can you restructure how your team meets overall to tap into some extra “productivity” time? I bet you can. It is 100% worth examining.. Here’s a good resource on the topic (with some sobering stats). 🛑
   
   
10. Reward Yourself: When you accomplish something big, reward yourself in some small way. Maybe share a win with colleagues (we have a #winning channel in our work cooperative for people to do just that). Treat yourself to a bevvy or that break I was talking about before is a proper reward for productivity. 🎁
    
    
11. BONUS (We just couldn’t resist)!
    Delegate (Responsibly): In our design firm, Period Three, we used to get these awful referrals from one of our “partners”. They’d send over work to us that they had already passed on. It wasn’t a good client or a good fit for them and those referrals ended up (surprise surprise) being trash for us too. Don’t be them. If you’re going to delegate tasks (and you 100%, absolutely have to to get anything done), be a responsible delegator. This could be a whole other blog post, but here are some quick tips. 🏎️
    
    • Don’t be a “drive-by delegator”: Deliver clearly communicated tasks, with specific deadlines and understood expectations for success. Don’t just “drive by” and drop some shit on a team member.
    • Delegate Strategically: If there are things on your plate that you’re not good at? Give them to people who are? Don’t just hand out trash to someone else. Leverage your teams skills to get more done together.
    • Delegate For The Right Reasons: Don’t give someone something because you don’t want to do it. Put on your big boy/girl pants and do the hard stuff too.

If you’ve made it to the bottom of this list…you have now “invested” 15 minutes of your precious time into bettering yourself and your work week. Now….go put one or more of these ideas into practice to start generating an ROI.

Want Some More Productivity Convo?

Looking for a little more? Check out this great episode on the Communal podcast where Greg and Gene dig into how we structure our weeks to avoid going insane. It’s a really good (and candid) conversation.

About The Author:

Greg Hilton is the cofounder and managing partner for SOCO, SOCO is a thriving platform and community focused on supporting creators, indie workers and entrepreneurs just like you. He’s an avid outdoorsman, creator and storyteller. He’s also been self-employed and a business owner for nearly two decades and has worked with hundreds of solos, creators and entrepreneurs to help them lead better and more meaningful lives.

Like what you’re reading here? Share it with someone else!