Mental Flow: The Mind and the Optimal Experience
What is mental flow? How can you reach a flow state of mind by thinking?
There are a multitude of ways you can enter a flow state but one method that’s usually overlooked is through science. It’s possible to enter a mental flow by thinking or manipulating concepts in your mind.
Here’s how you can enter a mental flow through science.
Achieving Mental Flow
It may seem illogical to distinguish mental flow activities from physical activities that produce flow—all activity, whether primarily physical or not, requires some thinking to be enjoyable. For example, athletes have to practice mental discipline to be successful, and recognizing their achievements requires thinking. But the activities discussed in this article require symbolic thinking, or mentally manipulating concepts.
Mental Flow Through Science
The sciences offer a wide array of interesting topics, questions, and problems to explore. There are rules that limit possible solutions or answers, and the scientific method is a framework for testing ideas. What motivates people to solve problems is the challenge of solving them, and the satisfaction of having discovered something no one has before, while considerations such as improving the world come second.
People tend to think it takes an advanced degree, a research lab with expensive equipment, and the ability to manage intricate experiments to be a scientist. Though being part of a research institution can help with securing funding, publishing papers, and receiving recognition, you don’t have to be a trained scientist to enjoy studying science.
Here are the characteristics you need to study science as an amateur:
Be curious.
Learn from others’ studies. Cultivate an openness and skepticism for new ideas so as not to follow those that aren’t supported by facts.
Observe the world and record your observations in detail.
Develop an explanation that accounts for your observations.