You have probably heard of the concept of getting “in the flow” before, but you may not have realized that it was something you could capitalize on in your life. It is true; you can start to use flow to help yourself get more done in a shorter period. You need to recognize your flow times and how you can best capitalize on them.
What Is The Flowtime Technique?
The Flowtime Technique is something used by people from every background. You pick a task and work on it until you get completely tired. When you hit that point, you give yourself a break. Then, you return to that task until you have completed it. It may take 2 or more sessions, but it must be done. This technique may sound simple in a lot of ways, but there are reasons why you should try to utilize it in your own life, including:
- It allows you to focus on one task at a time
- It allows you to build momentum on that task
- You get built-in breaks along the way
Many people use the flowtime technique to break themselves away from the multiple distractions that might otherwise creep into their lives. These days, it is too easy to allow distractions to overtake and overwhelm us. Our responsibility is to ensure we use the appropriate techniques to get ourselves to the finish line. If we fail in our approach, we should try to learn from those mistakes and move forward.
The Flowtime Technique is a great way to make it happen because it requires a task to be 100% completed before one is allowed to move on to the next task. One of the time management fundamentals is working on one task at a time. As each task is completed, a sense of momentum starts to build that can aid the individual in feeling confident that they can gain a full head of steam towards their ultimate goal of finishing their work.
Why Would You Use Flowtime Technique?
There are many reasons why people may decide to use the Flowtime Technique to get their work done, and no two sets of reasons are exactly alike. What we know for sure is that many people are struggling to land on the specific type of technique they need to use to succeed. The Flowtime Technique is a great way to break through the clutter and get things done. However, we want to provide you with all the information you need about this technique.
Why The Flowtime Method Can Work
To be the time Method can be very effective for some people. There are certain types of tasks that one does need to spend long blocks of time working on. People like college students, small business owners, and others know that they have many tasks thrown at them on a given day. However, they also know that they can get that all taken care of if they handle it one task at a time. Ultimately, they can do this if they use the Flowtime method to get through their work.
The built-in breaks are another thing people appreciate about the flowtime method. The brain needs time to relax from the work it has been doing, and built-in breaks are the best way to make that happen. Flowtime means taking those breaks so you don’t get burnt out when working on any task. You can take a break by taking a short walk around the neighborhood to help clear your mind.
Why The Flowtime Method Might not Work
Let’s start with why some people may be repelled by the Flowtime Method and why it might not work for them.
Some people don’t like to use the flowtime technique because it can make them less nimble on their feet as new tasks arrive at their doorstep. When they are presented with multiple things to focus on simultaneously, it can be challenging to use the flowtime method.
The method requires the user to focus on one task at a time, and some say this is an entirely unrealistic expectation in today’s world. They are not pleased by the idea that they might have to drop everything and only focus on one thing. Many would greatly prefer to look at the whole picture of the various tasks. If they are stuck on something else because of the flowtime method, they won’t be able to do so.
Another frequently cited drawback is that this method can require long stretches of work with limited breaks. Many people are fidgety, and this long focus doesn’t work all that well for them. They may resist working for such a long period for a short break of about 10 minutes.
Example of Flowtime Technique in Action
One great example of the Flowtime Technique that has worked for me was when I had a lengthy paper assigned in college. It was to be between 15 and 25 pages, and I knew that the best way for me to get this paper done was to try to chop through it in one session. I had the task before me, and I just needed to apply the flowtime technique to plow through it and get myself to the other side. If it were not for this technique, the paper might not have gotten completed at all, or at least not in one session like it was.
Getting through a single big task in a single day is wonderful. You don’t have to continue to divert your attention in different directions, and you can look back at the end of the day and see what you have accomplished. At that moment, you will feel the sense of accomplishment you should feel because of all your work.
How to Get Started with the Flowtime Technique
If you are at the point where you feel that you are ready to embrace the flowtime technique, then it is time to go over what that means in practice and what you need to do to implement it into your own life. With any luck, you can put these teachings into practice in a way that is as effective as possible for your purposes. So, what do you need to get started?
- First, get a timer that you can use if you don’t already have one. You can use the timer on your phone if you like, but it may prove more beneficial to use a timer separate from your phone, so you are not t, tempted to look at your phone and get distracted.
- Next, you will want to write out the various tasks you need to accomplish. Many people use Excel spreadsheets for this part of the job as they are a great way to see what tasks lie ahead and what you can do to clear some of them one by one. However, you can use a standard pen and paper method if you would like to. The trick is ensuring you get as many details about the tasks as possible.
- Order the tasks you have written down based on how important they are to you to accomplish. You want to start at the top of the list and work your way down. It would be best if you made sure you don’t miss out on some of the most important tasks from the start. Thus, you will need to prioritize the tasks you care about the most so you can spend your time on them to start.
- Set your timer up, and get to work! It would be best if you tried setting the timer for a reasonable amount of time, such as 25 minutes. This is long enough to accomplish some tasks but not so long that you will burn yourself out. There is nothing quite like sitting down and churning through the work you must do. You have spent plenty of time planning on knocking out your tasks, and now it is time to capitalize on the planning you have done to get yourself to this point.
How to Know When You Need to Take a Break?
Knowing when you need to take a break from your work shouldn’t be too challenging, and allow your mind a few moments to get caught up with you. You will start to feel some mental fatigue when you hit your limits, and you will very much know that you need to step back at that time to get reset.
Your brain knows when it is hitting up against a brick wall and can’t get anything more done now.
When you reach that point, make sure you pull back and allow yourself the time and rest you need to get ready to take on even more tasks.
3 Things to Keep in Mind Using Flowtime Technique
You should be mindful of a few things as you start to use the flowtime method if you want it to serve you.
1. You are not going to be perfect at it from the start
Like when you use any technique (such as SMART goals or the Pomodoro Technique), you will not be instantly perfect at using this technique. Sometimes you will get off course or task, and that is okay. As long as you recognize that you are drifting from the time management goals that you have for yourself and work on getting back on task, it would be best if you cut yourself some slack. There is no reason to anticipate that you will be instantly amazing at using the flowtime technique until you have had some time to practice. Be generous with yourself and the time you invest in this technique. Please do NOT give up on it too early in the process.
2. This technique is trusted by many people
Countless people trust the flowtime technique as part of their way of getting things done. Some of the top entrepreneurs in the world rely on this method to handle everything they need to handle in a given day to progress on their business goals. If someone as busy as an entrepreneur can use this technique, you should consider it part of your day.
It is important to look at what the most successful strivers out there are doing to get a sense of what you might want to do and get real general results. If you look at how these people have used the flowtime method to create a lot of success for themselves, you will surely understand why it may apply to your life.
3. There are drawbacks, just like with any method
We have already discussed some drawbacks that this time management method may present, but it is important to keep that in mind. There isn’t a single reason why you should come to rely on just one method at all times if you notice that it isn’t working for you. You have the potential to mix and match your strategies as you wish, and you should do so when you can. Bring this one into the rotation and see how it works for you.
Conclusion
There are many different approaches to getting things done, but the flowtime method is certainly one worth looking at. There are far too many times when it is helpful to take your time focusing on one task at a time. We live in a world of constant distractions, and it is best to zone all of that out and work through your tasks piece by piece until they are completed. If that sounds ideal, then you should work on that right now. Nothing is worse than feeling like you have accomplished all you could at the end of the day.
