I have an open door policy; I just hope no-one takes up the offer.  You may get your question answered, but both of us lose whatever flow state we were experiencing before the interruption.  Has that ever happened to you?

Don’t you secretly wish you could just close and lock your door, or put up a ‘don’t disturb’ sign near your desk?  Maybe you do that already.

 

Finding flow requires

•     You need to know your activity extremely well.
•     You need to be faced with a challenge which absorbs you in finding a solution.
•     You need to be pushed toward the limit of your skills in finding that solution.
•     You also need to be able to operate in a distraction-free environment.

It’s tough meeting all those requirements.  You are at the point of finding the solution to a puzzling issue or working to a tight deadline, only to be interrupted.  That solution, which was on the tip of your tongue, is now gone.  Frustrating, isn’t it?

Prof Gloria Mark, from University of California researched the impact on workers attempting to multi-task and being interrupted during their tasks. Here’s what she found:

•     The task seems more difficult.
•     Stress levels are increased.
•     Frustration levels are increased.
•     It takes longer to complete a task.
•     It takes more effort to complete a task.

People switch between multiple tasks every 3 minutes and then take 23 minutes 15 seconds to get back on task in the office environment.  No wonder there doesn’t seem to be any flow in the workplace.

If you are an athlete, maintaining focus is doubly important; you are carrying out a fine motor skill movement which requires complete attention on your task.  If you want this level of focus in competition, you need to train in a distraction-free environment, unless you are specifically training to develop focus in a busy environment.

A distraction-free environment doesn’t mean it’s completely noise-free and sterile, but it does mean being somewhere there aren’t things going on which you will find yourself wanting to engage with.

Even when you have achieved a high level of automated skill, you still need to be able to focus completely to experience the highs, and the seeming ease of performing in the zone.

Guess who your greatest distracter is?  You.  When you are practicing, do you stay on task or look around, say ‘hello’ to the person practicing next to you…maybe even begin a conversation?  Staying focussed takes a lot more mental energy, but is mental energy well spent.

To help yourself stay on task begin with a plan and work through that plan.  Your plan doesn’t only have the content of your training session, but presumes an attitude of solid focus.  This is what you are looking to cultivate on the golf course when you are preparing for and playing shots.

Relax your focus in practice when you are moving from one activity to the next.  But remember to stay engaged when you need to.  Always remember that your results will mirror your practice and training.

Reference
Mark, G., Gudith, D. and Klocke, U. (2008) The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress. Proc. CHI 2008. New York: ACM Press, 107-110.