4 ways to maximize productivity at work

Growing up as an athlete, the goal was always to achieve a state of flow. Some coaches called it “finding your flow,” others called it “getting in the zone,” and others called it “peak performance.”

But the flow state isn’t just in high demand in the swimming pool or on the basketball court. Especially in our digitally powered world, flow is increasingly sought after in the workplace. Flow helps you stay engaged and can boost motivation, performance — and even happiness.

Achieving a flow state isn’t easy, but this is how you might optimize your chances of getting there. 1. Set interconnected goals.

According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the psychologist and professor widely considered to be the “father of flow,” a key prerequisite to achieving flow is setting realistic goals. When we set goals, we are better able to focus fully on our tasks.

Yet while setting goals may lead to a single flow experience every now and then, the ultimate objective is to achieve consistent flow. To do this, all our goals must be connected in such a way that the interdependencies between them are clear. And goals that are too lofty should be broken down into smaller ones, ideally through objectives and key results (OKRs) that are connected and tracked over time.

2. Find work that is intrinsically motivating.

Extrinsic motivation doesn’t increase flow. Instead, flow is driven by intrinsic motivation. In the workplace or in athletics, this intrinsic motivation is often best fueled by passion. Managers need to recognize this and prioritize fueling their workers’ passion over extrinsic rewards like bonuses or promotions.

3. Minimize interruptions.

One of the key characteristics of flow is a feeling of control over your tasks. In the workplace, interruptions are a key way to lose those necessary feelings of control. Often, the interruptions that pack the biggest punch are meetings.

All companies can benefit from doing a meeting audit and systematically understanding the inevitable meeting bloat.

4. Prioritize your mental health.

Flow is a mental state, and it is intimately linked to mental health. Our chances of achieving flow are increased when we prioritize our mental health.

In recent years, workplaces have made a positive transition to making mental health an important topic of conversation. But there’s another transition that needs to happen — from mental health being the responsibility of each individual employee to it also being the responsibility of managers. Managers need to be equipped with the training and tools to help empower