Flow is an experience of intense engagement, focus, and satisfaction in the present moment while performing an activity. Sometimes this experience is also referred to as being “in the zone.” The benefits of flow are many and include a higher overall quality of life (feeling happy) and increased self-efficacy (belief in one’s own abilities). Furthermore, the work created during flow experiences is often more creative and of higher quality (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997). Flow experiences are considered profound and improve overall satisfaction in a person’s life.

The concept of flow was introduced in 1975 by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who was also one of the two founders of positive psychology in 2000. He conceptualized flow using nine elements, which can be broken down into six conditions and three experiential characteristics (Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, 2009; Van den Hout, Davis & Weggeman, 2018).

After completing a task or role performance, the Personal Flow Monitor measures whether the nine flow elements were sufficiently present during the process and provides suggestions on how to experience more flow during this specific task or role performance. It is recommended that this reflection take place under the guidance of an experienced coach. Here you can read what this coaching process looks like. In short, this process can be described as follows:

What is it?
It is a cyclical process approach concerning increasing flow in the work or life of the professional involved.

What does it do?
It makes the coached professional aware of the conditions for achieving flow and gives suggestions on how to give it form in the performance of specific activities, tasks, or roles. This is to increase the regularity and intensity of flow experiences in life as a whole and find balance in them.

What does it provide?
Better performance, greater satisfaction and enjoyment, meaning, and positive energy in both one’s work and life as a whole.

The Pathway Step by Step

Step 1: The intake interview
In the intake interview, the professional gets to know the coach. This conversation is devoted to exploring the specific goal of the coaching process. During this session, the professional and the coach will discuss whether they experience flow in professional activities such as work, sports, or music. The professional and the coach determine which activities (tasks or roles) this coaching process will focus on. The goal is to increase the regularity or intensity of flow experiences while performing these professional activities!
The duration of this interview is about 1.5 hours.

Step 2: Personal Flow Monitor – Zero measurement
After the intake interview, the professional is invited to complete the Personal Flow Monitor (PFM). This is a scientifically validated questionnaire that measures the conditions, experience characteristics of flow, in addition to a number of other relevant (influenceable) variables in the professional’s (work) life.

The questionnaire is made available digitally and completing it takes a professional an average of 15 minutes.

Step 3: Diagnosis and action plan
In consultation with the professional, a diagnosis follows from the measurement; within this diagnosis it becomes known how the professional can influence the execution of his task or role so that he or she experiences more flow during the execution or keeps the balance in it. In this phase, the coach and the professional together establish the coaching goal for this coaching process. The coach goal will be divided into smaller sub-goals so that an action plan is designed, with which the professional can get to work. This of course under the guidance of the Flow Coach.

Step 4: Implementing action points and interim coaching conversations
The professional will work independently on the agreed actions and keep the coach informed of progress made and experiences. In additional coaching conversations they reflect together on the set coaching goal and the related action points. The coach positively endorses the professional in this process and gives possible tips or suggestions for improvement regarding the achievement of the set goal.

During the coaching conversations, for example, the conversations will be about concrete work experiences, personal identity, experiencing (work) happiness or not, stress, anxiety, difficulties with colleagues, etc. In the conversation, the professional will thus also get answers to questions such as: Who am I? What are my personal values, motivations, ambitions and beliefs? When do I experience flow or not? On which aspects of my life can I put more focus? What can I do to experience more flow? What do I (not) need in order to experience more flow? How can I function more optimally in my work? What is the next step in my task,

Step 5: Personal Flow Monitor – Post-test
After carrying out the agreed actions/interventions, it is time to evaluate whether the actions/interventions have had the desired effect on the degree of flow. By conducting a post-test (post-measurement) with the Personal Flow Monitor, we make this effect visible and any new action points can be determined. In this phase, the coach and the professional discuss the process together. They reflect together on the implemented action points and possibly sharpen some goals and action points.

We are then back to step 2 and continue this cycle to continue to optimize the degree of flow until the professional again has sufficient grip (autonomy) on his own (work) life.
The questionnaire is again made available digitally and filling it out takes a professional another 15 minutes on average.