YOU SWEAT…

Lay the groundwork before your activity begins to ensure peak performance

CHOOSE THE PERFECT WORKOUT INTENSITY

One research-backed must: striking the right challenge-skill balance. ‘If the difficulty is way too high or too low, you’re not going to feel flow,’ says Richard Huskey, an assistant professor at the University of California at Davis. So, find your sweet spot. Then, ‘As you master exercises, push yourself outside your comfort zone little by little,’ Dr Sarkis adds.

SET FLUID AND FLEXIBLE GOALS

Flow states were linked to non-specific goals in Dr Jackman’s studies, meaning exercisers weren’t concentrating on a particular pace or time. Rather, their goals were open-ended, such as seeing how far they could run. ‘Without needing to hit a level of performance, these goals appeared to build confidence and help exercisers reach a flow state.’

REWARD YOURSELF IN ADVANCE

You’re probably used to celebrating after you’ve wrapped up a tough sweat. The case for flipping it: ‘If you take a little bit of a pause to do something enjoyable, it can help you refocus for a difficult task later on,’ says Dr Huskey. Even something as simple as listening to your favourite song during your warm-up or getting a pre-workout coffee from a nearby cafe can work.