Importance of Flow
Flow theory, coined by Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi is probably my very favorite theory of all time.
We call it flow, "being in the zone," or the optimal human experience. It's that feeling of being so perfectly matched with what you're doing that you can lose track of time and be absorbed.
Putting yourself routinely in a state of flow increases your happiness, your intrinsic satisfaction, and decreases anxiety! It's IMPORTANT for our mental health and wellness!!! It produces good brain chemicals, and actually helps our brain development and learning.
There are 8 characteristics of a state of flow:
Complete concentration on the task;
Clarity of goals and reward in mind and immediate feedback;
Transformation of time (speeding up/slowing down);
The experience is intrinsically rewarding;
Effortlessness and ease;
There is a balance between challenge and skills;
Actions and awareness are merged, losing self-conscious rumination;
There is a feeling of control over the task.
know what that sounds like to me?
Games!
♟️⚽
Games of all kinds are one of the most predictable creators of a state of flow. That's REALLY GOOD NEWS FOR US BECAUSE FLOW IS IMPORTANT & HEALTHY!
Struggling with video game anxiety? Check out my video game anxiety recording and my screentime and mental health webinar!
Roya Dedeaux is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a focus on using creative tools like art, writing, and recreation as a way to help teens and their families who don't quite fit the mold.
Roya’s first book, Connect with Courage: practical ways to release fear and find joy in the places your kids take you is the result of her background in Recreation and Leisure Studies and Marriage and Family Therapy and is the base of her Connect with Courage Parenting Course.
She loves running her private practice, creating art prompts for her
two online art groups, and running games and challenges in the
free Recreate Parenting Facebook community! When she's not doing that, she loves to make messes with her three wild & wonderful kids where they live and play hard in Southern California.
Connect With Courage
