心流
FLOWING
全文字数：2132字 / 阅读时间：7分钟
人人都想进入的“心流”状态到底是怎么回事？
···
（电影《心灵奇旅》关于“心流”的片段）
Ludwig van Beethoven’s notebooks show that he spent countless hours laboriously developing and revising the musical ideas on which his great compositions were based. It was a torturous and all-consuming process.
人们通过贝多芬的笔记本发现，他所有伟大作品的构思都基于成年累月不断的苦心钻研和创作修改，这个过程无疑煎熬且耗时。
Beethoven illustrates two modes of creativity that can be used at different times by the same person. Most people are familiar with the arduous type — the creative struggle — from personal experience. Generating a stream of high-quality creative ideas is difficult. But the latter kind — the flow state, or the experience of being “in the zone”—is more elusive.
他展示了两种创作模式，一种是大多数人熟知的，在创作中挣扎的“困难模式”，另外一种是“心流”模式，进入忘我状态的体验，则更加难以捉摸。
#01
··
何为心流？
··
Flow is a term used in psychology to describe a state of heightened concentration, in which you are completely absorbed in an activity. It exists somewhere between boredom and stress – usually experienced during activities which are somewhat challenging but still meet our skill levels. When we experience flow, we tend to be highly effective, feel in control and forget about time.
“心流”是一个心理学术语，用来描述一种注意力高度集中的状态，此时，你会全身心沉浸在某项活动中。它介于放松和专注的中间地带——通常在进行具有一定挑战性，但仍在接受范围内的活动时，人会体验到这种高效积极的忘我状态。
Work has shown how often and in which setting we experience flow largely differs between people, and is partly genetically influenced. In other words, some people are more prone to experience flow than others, which is partly due to individual differences in genetic predispositions, but also due to factors in our environment. These may include the circumstances of the specific activities we engage in, the distractions we experience and our mental states.
多项研究表明，人们进入“心流”的频率和条件因人而异，而且部分受基因影响。换句话说，有人天生比其他人更容易体验到“心流”，这是遗传导致的个体差异，同时也与我们所处环境，比如我们行动时的具体环境、当时是否有干扰、当下的精神状态等有关。
But until recently, all that was known about flow came from introspection and behavioral research. That body of work revealed important characteristics of the flow state but left basic, though important, questions unanswered.
直到最近，人们开始从自省和行为研究的角度探讨“心流”，揭示了“心流”状态的重要特征，也留下了值得深思的问题。
（图片来源：Veer图库）
#02
··
心流最新研究成果
··
In a new study from Drexel University’s Creativity Research Lab, we addressed this gap by posing a basic question about the nature of creative flow: Does it involve intense concentration and hyperfocus of attention—or does it involve release of attention and “letting go”?
德雷克塞尔大学创造力研究实验室的一项新研究提出了一个关问题：体验“心流”时需要高度集中注意力，还是自然放松？
研究集中选择爵士乐演奏者，因为爵士乐即兴演奏很考察创意力，同时高密度的即兴演奏为“心流”状态创造了条件，得以被即时观察记录。本次研究受试者共 32 人，包括训练演出经验并不多的“新手”，也有经验丰富的演奏家。整个研究过程中，每位受试者都将自我评价演奏状态，同时专业评委将对其即兴演奏的创意度以及其他水平进行评分。
（图片来源：Burak Can Oztas/Getty Images）
Notably, the most experienced musicians reported, on average, greater intensity and frequency of flow states. Substantial experience with a task may therefore be a precondition for experiencing flow. This finding makes sense because it is difficult to imagine feeling effortless attention while performing an unfamiliar task. Also unsurprising was that, on average, the judges rated the experts’ improvisations as being more creative than the novices’ improvisations.
重点是，报告中的“心流”强度和频率更高的平均集中在经验最丰富的音乐家。因此，对一项任务的丰富经验可能是“心流”的先决条件。这不难理解，因为人们在执行一项不熟悉的任务时自然很难心无旁骛、注意力不受分散。同时，评委大致认为专家的即兴演奏比新手的即兴演奏更有创意。
Next, to identify brain regions associated with the flow state, we compared brain activity during high-flow performances relative to low-flow performances. One striking finding was that high-flow performances were associated with reduced activity in the brain’s frontal lobes, which are associated with executive function and cognitive control. This supports the idea that flow is a state of low cognitive control rather than hyperfocus.
接下来，为了确定与“心流”相关的大脑区域，研究比较了高流动状态与低流动状态时的大脑活动。原来，高流量表现与大脑额叶活动减少有关，而额叶与执行功能和认知控制有关。这支持了“心流”是一种低认知控制状态而非过度专注的观点。
So it seems that creative flow can occur when two conditions are met. First, one has to gain expertise by practicing the task enough to develop, or “bake in,” a specialized brain network for performing that task. Second, one must release conscious control so the specialized network can take over and produce ideas automatically, on autopilot, without the performer overthinking what they are doing or becoming overly self-conscious.
因此研究表明，想在创作时进入“心流”要满足两个条件：首先，要对任务进行足够的练习打好专业基础，从而开发出专属脑区；其次，必须放松，不去执着于控制注意力，不过度思考也不在过程中强调自我意识，这样专属脑区才能自然接管并自动产生创意，进入心流。
#03
··
有助于进入心流的技巧
··
· Do something you love.
遵心之所向
It goes without saying, but this is the easiest way to get into a flow state. Doing something you love can satisfy your mind’s craving for something that’s challenging but doable and something that you’re good at.
不言而喻，这是进入心流最简单的方法。做一些自己喜欢的事情，才可以满足同时大脑对挑战性和成就感的渴望。
· Create a ritual.
建立仪式感
As you gear up for activities that will require you to enter a state of concentration, create a series of actions that you do every single time you’re about to begin your task. This could be a meditation, a short walk, or a pot of tea. No matter your activity, it will let your brain know what’s about to begin and that you are coaxing it to be ready.
当你准备进入心流、完成某项活动时，建立一套特定的仪式，每次开始做之前先走仪式。可以是冥想、短途散步或喝一壶茶。无论什么，固定仪式会让大脑意识到自己该切换模式了。
· Choose your most important task.
辨轻重缓急
Achieving a flow state is best accomplished while focusing on one major task that requires a significant portion of brain power. Multitasking would create a web of distractions that make it impossible to achieve flow state.
实现心流的最佳方式是专注于一项需要耗费大量脑力的主要任务。多任务处理会让人分心，无法进入心流。
· Identify your peak creative and
productive times.
个性化定制
Identify the times where your mind most naturally functions at full speed. For many people, the morning after a good night’s sleep is the most productive. Focusing on the day’s main task during these times will make flow state a more achievable goal.
确定你的大脑最自然地全速运转的时间。对许多人来说，睡了一个好觉后的早晨是效率最高的时候。在这些时间段专注于当天的主要任务，会让 "心流 "成为更容易实现的目标。
· Eliminate distractions.
主动避干扰
Focus on creating a peaceful environment with minimal distractions around you. Store your phone away and put it on “do not disturb.” If you are working on a laptop, maybe try a website blocker. You know best the types of things that disturb you most often. Try minimizing as many of them as possible.
专注创造一个宁静的环境，尽量减少周围的干扰。把手机收起来，设置为“勿扰模式”。如果你在笔记本电脑上工作，也许可以尝试使用网站拦截器。人贵有自知之明，尽量规避可能会发生的干扰。
The end product might not be like a Beethoven sonata. But if you can create it during a flow state, it will be your best work, and you will enjoy the process.
不是所有人都是贝多芬。不过如果你在心流状态下，就会创造出自己最好的作品，而且乐在其中。
▼
-END-
原文链接：
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/brain-scans-of-jazz-musicians-reveal-how-to-reach-a-creative-flow-state/
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/flow-people-easily-absorbed-activity-154558212.html?
编译 | 孜拉拉
排版 | 孜拉拉
点击关注，携手成长👇