

Yet, flow-like states also occur in more mundane situations, such as when engaging in certain tasks during work or leisure time ( Bakker, 2008 Demerouti et al., 2012 Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). Flow is often associated with athletes, artists, or scientists who are fully task-absorbed in order to achieve peak performance.
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We argue that knowledge about the role of the LC-NE system in establishing the flow experience may help to gain fundamental knowledge of flow and can contribute to unifying various empirical findings on this topic.Ī well-known phenomenon in research on human performance is “flow” ( Csikszentmihalyi, 1990, 2014), a state of full task engagement and low levels of self-referential thinking (e.g., worrying, self-reflection). Similarly, in theories on the LC-NE system, task engagement is highest with intermediate levels of arousal. Flow is related to arousal in an inverted U-shape. Moreover, psychophysiological indicators of LC-NE system activity, such as eye pupil diameter and arousal are also sensitive to flow states. For both, a match between a person's skill and task challenge is important in order to induce high levels task-related attention. We emphasize the theoretical and empirical overlap between the LC-NE system and flow. This is done via different modes of baseline and stimulus-evoked norepinephrine release. The LC-NE system regulates decisions regarding task engagement vs. In the present mini-review we focus on how the brain's locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system may be involved in a range of behavioral and subjective manifestations of flow. Yet, the neurocognitive processes of flow remain largely unclear. Flow is considered highly relevant for human performance and well-being and has, therefore, been studied extensively. 3Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africaįlow is a state of full task engagement that is accompanied with low-levels of self-referential thinking.2Developmental and Educational Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands.



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His book, Bliss More: How to Succeed in Meditation Without Really Trying (Random House, 2018), is still a favourite of the meditation community and was selected by Book Authority as one of the best meditation books of all time. He’s taught thousands through his in-person trainings and retreats, and many more through his bestselling books and online courses. Since 2007, Light Watkins has been teaching people from all walks of life how to enjoy a daily meditation practice. Which evidently is found inside, and you can’t pay somebody to give it to you… you have to sit down and do the opposite of what we normally are doing…” “The reason why we are still talking about meditation and mindfulness thousands and thousands of years from when they were first discovered is because it is the only thing that can get us to that happiness that we all ultimately want to have.
