Scientists have developed a formula for “flowing” – Wel.nl

You read while your coffee is cooling, you work in the garden and you forget to eat lunch. So you are “in the stream” as psychologists call it. They also now think they know how to evoke that sweet feeling.

In fact, they came up with a mathematical formula for it. “We think you experience more flow when you have more information about how well you’re achieving a goal with a particular activity,” explains social psychologist David Melnikov of Northeastern University in Massachusetts. Abroad to Science Alert.

end goal
The formula consists of three variables: M (the means, the activity that should lead to a goal), E (the end point, the result) and I (information, to what extent the activity removes the uncertainty of achieving the goal). Together it looks like this: I (m; e). According to researchers, our flow is maximized if we know exactly how our actions affect our purpose.

Example: Suppose you want to lose weight and you want to achieve this by running. Then it is useful to know exactly how much you have to run to lose 1 kilo. You’ll then become more involved in the activity and get into the flow sooner, according to psychologists.

But it applies to many things, according to the scientists, whose study was published in the professional journal Nature Communications figured out. If you do work that serves a clear purpose, you work more fun. If you are gardening, while you have a clear idea of ​​what the garden should look like, you will also be more motivated. Time flies by while you’re highly focused: you’re in a flow.