#119: 🎯 Hacking Focus & Flow
Scientific Strategies for Achieving Your Mental Best
Hey Friends,
I’ve had this article about Focus in my Work in Progress folder for a few months now after a reader asked me the question “How do our brains decide what they want to focus on?” - This question came from Daniel (Thanks Daniel!).
I thought it was a great question. I started writing in October…and then…
I just couldn’t focus on it.
I couldn't find the focus to focus on the Focus article. Ooof
Seriously.
After a call with my friend, colleague and founder of NeuroCreate, Dr. Shama Rahman, who specializes in studying Flow, I found the focus hacks I needed to stay in flow and write this article.
I hope you enjoy this one.
Join me for the upcoming “Unlock the Secret to Longevity” event with Aethos Club.
Next weekend, February 20th to 23rd, I will attend an exclusive Longevity Retreat at Aethos Ericeira, a sanctuary of restoration, movement, and connection. This event is typically reserved for Aethos members only, but they are making a rare exception for Nina’s Notes Readers to join me on this luxury weekend at cost 💥.
Events include daily yoga, sauna & cold plunge sessions, guided hikes, fireside chats, and nourishing meals, all set against the breathtaking Ericeira coast.
For Nina’s Notes Readers, the 3-night stay is over 50% off!
✨ Single Room:
€1350→ now €650
✨ Double Room (per person):€1180→ now €450Limited spots are available - grab yours now!
💬 In this note:
🎯 Hacking Focus & Flow
🎧 Why didn’t Chris and Dan get into Berghain?
⚡️ Gardening’s Hidden Healing Powers
🎯 Hacking Focus & Flow
Have you ever noticed how you can be completely aware of your surroundings one moment, laser-focused on a single task the next, and then suddenly unaware of how time is passing?
These are distinct cognitive processes that shape how we interact with the world.
While we often use terms like attention and focus interchangeably, neuroscience has shown us that they're different mental mechanisms, each playing a crucial role in how we process information and achieve peak performance.
Are Attention and Focus Different?
Attention and focus might seem like the same thing, but they're actually distinct cognitive processes that work together.
Attention is your brain's initial screening system. It's broader and more flexible than focus, allowing you to:
Monitor your environment for important changes
Switch between different stimuli rapidly
Process multiple streams of information simultaneously
Focus, on the other hand, is more like a laser beam.
Focus happens when you take one element that you identified with your attention system and then direct all your cognitive resources toward it.
When you are focused, your brain actively suppresses other inputs and stimuli. All of your cognitive resources are concentrated on a single task, and you are less aware of surrounding interference.
This explains why when you’re focused on writing a text message and someone is talking to you, you don’t hear what that person is saying.
How Does Your Brain Decide What To Focus On?
Our brains have a specific group of neurons that are in charge of focus.
Picture your brain's prefrontal cortex as an exclusive nightclub, and visual-movement neurons are the bouncers.
Visual-movement neurons in the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) of your brain have one crucial job - deciding what gets through to your conscious attention and what doesn’t, just like Sven at Berghain (more on that in this week's Content of the Week) chooses who gets in and who stays out.
In a recent study published in Neuron, by the University of Pennsylvania, scientists found that the visual-movement neurons fired together at the same frequency, called “beta bursts,” when you are focused.
When beta-bursts are strong, you can filter out distractions and are more likely to complete the task at hand.
However, when beta-bursts are weak, distractions can easily capture your attention and your focus drifts from your primary task.
As many of us know, especially those with ADHD, the ability to focus is not equal in all brains and it requires significant mental energy.
However, focus is like a muscle that can potentially be strengthened.
Focus vs. Flow: More Than Just Concentration
Have you ever been so absorbed in an activity that time seemed to disappear?
That's flow - and it's far more interesting than focus.
Focus is like wearing blinders. You can force yourself to concentrate on a task by avoiding distractions.
But flow allows you to pay attention to both the details and the big-picture.
Neuroscientists believe it involves rapid switching between two neural systems - one handling minutiae, the other processing broader context.
For instance, if you are in a band, you need to know your musical piece, how it integrates with the rest of the instruments, and how the audience is receiving it.
As you play, you enter a state of flow, which keeps you fully engaged in the moment.
Understanding Flow's U-Curve
Flow exists in a Goldilocks zone of stress and challenge. Too little stimulation, and you'll never reach it; too much, and you'll crash out of it.
This explains why we can't enter flow when frustrated. The stress tips us over the optimal threshold.
Can We Hack Our Way To Flow State?
Want to optimize your chances of reaching flow? Here are science-backed strategies:
Master your Circadian Rhythm
Flow states may correlate with natural cortisol cycles.
"Morning people" often find flow easier during their morning cortisol spike. Understanding your personal rhythm is crucial for timing flow.
Sleep and Be Well Rested
Non-REM sleep isn't just rest - it's essential for cognitive integration. It’s great for connecting the dots.
If you're tackling a big project, try mapping it out before bed. Your brain can process and connect ideas while you sleep.
Limit Distraction
Modern technology is flow's natural enemy.
The habit of checking your phone, even when there are no notifications, can destroy flow before it begins.
Establishing good "tech hygiene," like turning off notifications and setting your phone and computer to Do Not Disturb can help to reduce your scope of the world while you are in flow.
Do Something You Love
Most people fall into a flow state when they are doing things they like to do.
If you don’t love the task, try to interject things you like into the task. Such as singing while doing the dishes.
Flow isn't just about productivity, it's often accompanied by joy and satisfaction.
The Feeling of Flow
I fall into flow when I am public speaking. To prepare I rehearse my talk over and over, until I feel that nothing can distract me from the topic, and I get a good night’s rest.
While I am on stage I feel 100% present.
I am thinking, speaking and reading the audience all at once.
I often feel like I am having an out-of-body experience where I am actually watching myself give the talk on stage.
In those moments, I really feel like flow is actually an altered state of consciousness.
Using Psychedelics To Hack Into Flow
Flow states are predictable, controllable and skill-based. They typically occur during challenging but manageable situations where your abilities match the task demands.
Psychedelic substances operate through different mechanisms, primarily affecting the serotonin receptors, and they can create profound states of altered consciousness.
It is possible that there could be a connection with flow in how psychedelics affect cognitive flexibility, which is a key component of both flow and creative problem-solving.
There is evidence that exists for using psychedelics boosting creativity (more on that in Nina’s Notes #22), however, psychedelics are far less reliable in creating a flow state than focused performance.
Build Your Life For Flow
Falling into flow is a bit like being an athlete. You have these bursts of high performance, but you also need to know when to stop.
Athletes need to be well rested and free of distractions to perform their best. They also need time to recover. Lack of recovery has been linked to not being able to reach flow.
Think of flow like athletic training, you want to:
Understand your optimal conditions
Respect recovery periods
Protect your prime productive hours
Gradually build your capacity
Master these elements, and you'll experience more frequent and profound flow states.
🎧 Content of the Week
Search Engine: Why didn’t Chris and Dan get into Berghain? - Part I and Part II
This is a hilarious account of two men trying to get into Berghain, told by PJ Vogt.
The two-part story is not just about tips to get into the most exclusive club in the world, the host also dives into the rich history of clubbing in Berlin.
Part II is a history of Berlin, the divide between East and West Germany and how this affected the club culture. In an interview with a 90s German raver, about the fall of the Berlin wall and how this affected club culture, we get the best quote of the episode:
“Reunification started on the dance floor”
Having lived in Berlin for 4 years, and being lucky enough to always get into Berghain, I really enjoyed this episode. It’s a great mix of jokes and history, told by a captivating host.
What’s my tip for getting into Berghain?
You have to want to get rejected.
Truly want it.
And you’ll get in.
Every. Single. Time.
This was a recommendation by Emily! Thanks Emily!!
⚡️ Check This Out
The New York Times published an article about Why Gardening is So Good For You last spring. In the article, they dive into why people who choose gardening as a hobby are healthier than non-gardeners and research shows that it helps your health for a few reasons.
Gardening is a workout.
Shoveling, pulling weeds and carrying a heavy watering can all qualify as moderate-intensity physical activities. People who garden report higher levels of physical activity compared to non-gardeners.
The more intense gardening activities, like digging, raking and hauling bags of potting soil can serve as a strength workout.
Gardening lowers stress
Gardening has been shown to lower anxiety and depression, as well as raise self-esteem and confidence.
Many gardeners report feeling a sense of purpose when they garden, which is a contributor to well-being.
Build Social Connections
Joining a community garden can help people meet new friends and combat loneliness. You can also feel more bonded to your community through a shared garden.
If you are gardening at home, putting your garden in the front yard instead of the back yard could spur conversation and help you to meet your neighbors.
I don’t have a garden in my Lisbon apartment building, but I do have a forest of plants. I find that inviting friends to go together to the plant nursery is also a great way to build social connections through in-house gardening.
This was a recommendation by my Mom! Thanks Mom for telling me to check this out!!
Edited by Wright Time Publishing