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Most of us feel that life rushes forward at light speed, leaving us distracted and hurried as we attend to never-ending to-do lists. To counteract the sensation of time racing by, we try to seek ways to slow down and be present. That includes anything that increase our ability to “be in the flow,” which is what happens when we are fully absorbed in a task or activity.
Cultivating regular states of flow, or being present, is a way to enhance our awareness of the present moment and sense of connection to the world around us. When a mountain bicyclist barrels over uneven terrain yet remains completely focused on each jump and turn, or a writer is so absorbed that hours pass unnoticed while they churn out words, they are experiencing the flow. While in the flow, our thoughts do not wander to the past or future—we are fully immersed in the present moment.
What Is a Flow State?
“Being in the flow” refers to a heightened state of awareness characterized by enhanced sensory perceptions and complete focus on what you are doing, explains Christof Koch, PhD, neuroscientist and former president of the Allen Institute of Brain Science. “You are not distracted when you are in the flow—you are completely immersed in the present moment. Everything else fades away, sometimes for hours at a time.”
One of the most defining characteristics of being in the flow, Koch adds, is a “loss of self.” It’s not just an indicator that you’ve arrived in the present moment, he explains, but an essential component of getting there. “When you lose your sense of self, the world is strikingly beautiful and transcendent,” Koch says. “Once you experience that state, then you can use it as a goal. You can say, ‘I’m going to run more to achieve this loss-of-self state.’’
5 Signs You’re Being Present
There are a variety of ways to access a flow state, whether through exercise, meditation, or complete absorption in a task. No matter what route you take to get there, learning to recognize the telltale signs of being fully present can help you access this state more frequently.
Following are five common indicators that you are experiencing a state of flow that can teach how you how to be present:
1. Perception of Time Changes
The perception that time is passing atypically—whether faster, slower, or not at all—is a quintessential feature of being present. Extreme skier Julian Carr, known for nailing inverts off 200-foot cliffs, regularly experiences this sensation of timelessness. “In the open sky, impossibly high above the ground, I am fully relaxed and fully present. It’s a rich experience that lasts both an eternity and an instant,” he says.
You don’t need to engage in extreme sports to access a flow state. The feeling that time is expanding, contracting, or holding still is also reported by people who enter the flow through more serene activities, including drawing, crafting, and listening to music. Even concentrating on numbers can trigger full immersion in the present moment. “When I was younger, I could focus on math or coding and everything else would fade away for hours,” says Koch.
Paying attention to which experiences change your perception of time, and how these experiences shift as you age, can help you identify multiple ways to increase moments of presence in everyday life.
2. Increased Calmness and Peace
Entering a state of flow typically produces a sensation of well-being and inner peace—it’s as if you’ve arrived at your destination and there is nothing left to worry about, plan, or do. This calm, content feeling is largely what compels people to seek out a flow state again and again.
Ironically, the increased peacefulness that some athletes experience in a flow state exists in stark contrast to the danger involved. “When pursuing big cliffs, I’m engaging in an activity that could easily kill me,” says Carr. “But my breath and heart rate are lower than sitting here talking. I have a calm mind leading my body.”
Some people experience this same sensation while remaining closer to the ground. “When I step off the yoga mat, I am present and there is a quality of peace,” says Liza Toft, who has taught yoga for 26 years, including at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York. “My perception of the world around me has shifted.”
Toft describes the experience of being in the flow as wonderful yet elusive. “It’s why consistent practice is so important. These moments [of presence] get easier to find,” she explains.
Stage performers—such as dancers, actors and singers—often report a feeling of complete immersion in the present moment while they practice their craft, despite being in front of an audience. The experience of contentment that comes from being fully absorbed in performing is one reason they are repeatedly drawn back to the stage.
Taking note of situations that induce a feeling of profound calmness and peace can help you understand which environments and activities help you stay present.
3. Breathing Pattern Changes
Being in the flow can have a modulatory effect on how you breathe. These changes include taking deeper, fuller breaths, slowing down your rate of inhalations and exhalations, and decreasing tightness and constriction in the chest.
Interestingly, the relationship between breath and presence is a two-way street. Being in the present moment prompts your breathing rate to slow, and slowing your breathing rate enhances your awareness of the present moment. Yoga practitioners are especially familiar with this duality.
According to Daniel Parecki, MD, a family physician in Tualatin, Oregon, one way to influence your breath rate is relying on diaphragmatic breathing. “A lot of people neglect their diaphragm, abdomen, sides, neck, and back and breathe only through the anterior chest,” says Parecki. Such constricted breathing limits the amount of air that can enter our lungs. However, engaging the diaphragm—our primary respiratory muscle—increases airflow to the lungs and allows for a greater exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. This often results in lower blood pressure and a decreased heart rate.
Because of the importance of breathing on both body and mind, Parecki often asks anxious patients to “breathe out semi-forcefully…much like blowing out a birthday candle.” Parecki has observed that this simple exercise has a measurable calming effect on people.
A proactive way to calm your mind and encourage a state of presence is to practice diaphragmatic breathing or any type of breathwork that slows your breath rate.
4. Increased Connectedness to…Everything
Complete sensory immersion in one’s environment can enhance feelings of connectedness to the outside world. “When facing a big jump, I become primal with nature,” says Carr. “Fear is converted into…connectedness.”
Of course, those who engage in flow during extreme physical sports “must remain highly connected and focused on the external world,” Koch warns. Sustaining focus and avoiding distraction is essential for safety.
Others experience this same sense of connection through less death-defying pastimes, such as cooking, knitting, or completing a puzzle. All of these activities are readily accessible ways of entering a state of flow. The key is to identify what works for you.
If physical movement enhances your experience of the present moment, try to carve out time to exercise regularly, whether running, swimming, dancing, or practicing yoga. Or if calmer, more stationary tasks enhance your connection to the world around you, give yourself time and space to engage in things like puzzles or art projects. Doing so will increase your chances of entering the flow.
5. Complete Absence of Thought
The all-too-familiar mental chatter of future-planning and ruminating about the past is silenced when you’re in the present moment. According to Koch, that experience of quieting the mind and reducing the onslaught of random thoughts is “the foremost challenge of entering the flow.”
The more comfortable you are with a quiet mind, the more likely you are to slip into a flow state. Koch recommends practicing mindfulness in order to enhance your ability to quiet the mind. “Breathe in, then breathe out,” he suggests. Paying attention to the ebb and flow of your breath is a powerful way to enter the present moment.
For those who find sitting quietly to be far from calming, stillness isn’t the only way to quiet mental chatter. Engaging in mindfulness during a physical activity, such as climbing or biking, by attending to your breath and consciously focusing on the task at hand can strengthen your ability to be present.
“The long-term consequence of practicing mindfulness consistently is being present more and more often,” says Koch.
What Being Present Means for Your Everyday Life
Being cognizant of these common indicators of being in the flow—changes to time perception and breath, increased ease and connection, and lack of thought—can enhance your ability to enter the flow. This, in turn, increases your overall sense of well-being and connectedness to the world around you.
“Of course,” Koch adds, “after you have reached this state, you still have to go back and do the laundry and pay taxes and take out the trash.” But perhaps you’ll take out the trash with less frustration or discover newfound appreciation for folding and putting away your clean clothes.
The beauty of being in the flow is that once you become familiar with how it feels, each moment becomes an opportunity for presence. And life, as a whole, becomes clearer and more meaningful…even while doing your taxes.
