Brian Lui's blog

Flow, or being "in the zone", is that magical mental state where you're fully immersed in what you're doing, time seems to warp, and your productivity skyrockets. You're so engaged in an activity that everything else falls away. In flow, your actions and awareness merge, you have clear goals with immediate feedback, and there's a balance between challenge and skill that keeps you engaged without becoming frustrated or bored. It's that rare condition where you're performing at your peak while feeling effortlessly in control.^[1]

Flow discussion elsewhere is not useful because it presents flow as something that emerges naturally when conditions are right, often lacks specific, repeatable techniques for triggering flow on demand, and tends to be descriptive rather than instructional. I believe that flow states are not unpredictable and unreliable. In fact, they can be consistently induced through proper preparation and training.

Understanding your subconscious mind

You can induce flow by understanding how your subconscious mind works. Your subconscious mind wants to help you. It's not some mysterious adversary working against your productivity—it's actually your greatest ally. But it operates based on what it has learned throughout your life experiences. Every time you've focused deeply, been distracted, felt resistance, or achieved breakthrough performance, your subconscious has been taking notes and forming patterns.

Think of it as a dog, eager to please its master, but acting primarily on instinct. A well-trained dog responds predictably to consistent cues. Your subconscious works the same way—it responds to consistent signals that indicate when it's time to engage flow.

You need to train these instincts. A dog learns through consistency and pattern recognition. You can't force a dog to do anything by barking orders at it! Your subconscious mind similarly needs clear, regular patterns to follow. When you establish these patterns, entering flow becomes less about luck and more about reliable triggers.

Conventional approaches to flow entirely neglect this. They often do not even understand that the subconscious mind decides to enter flow when it judges it to be the best course of action. Most advice focuses on external conditions like environment or challenge level, which are important but insufficient. They miss the critical role of subconscious training—the inner decision mechanism that ultimately permits or blocks the flow state.

The key insight is this: your subconscious isn't randomly granting you access to flow states. It's making decisions based on recognized patterns, established safety signals, and learned expectations. When you understand this decision process, you can deliberately influence it rather than waiting passively for flow to happen to you.

Physical mise en place

Mise en place is a preparation ritual used by chefs. It's French for "putting in place" and represents the disciplined organization system that professional kitchens rely on. Before service begins, chefs gather and precisely arrange all ingredients, tools, and equipment needed for their shift. Nothing is left to chance, and nothing is missing when the pressure is on.

This concept extends far beyond cooking. It's a mindset of deliberate preparation that creates the conditions for excellence. As Anthony Bourdain once described it, mise en place is not just organization—it's a way of life, a system of readiness and respect for the work ahead.

Why is physical preparation so important for mental states? Our minds and bodies are inextricably linked. Physical discomfort creates mental distraction. Environmental chaos breeds cognitive chaos.^[2] When your body is in a state of neglect or your environment is in disarray, your brain receives a constant stream of signals that something needs attention, pulling you away from deep focus.

If you want to be able to enter flow on demand, you must diligently prepare your physical state every time. Your subconscious is an eager and loyal dog whose most fervent wish is to please you. Going through your pre-flow ritual in the same way every time signals that you want to enter flow. It's like Pavlov's dog—you're creating a consistent pattern of cues that trains your mind to recognize "it's time to flow now" without conscious effort.

My physical preparation ritual consists of the following:

• Energy levels are non-negotiable. I never attempt to enter flow when tired. This means getting adequate sleep and scheduling flow sessions during my natural energy peaks. If I'm feeling depleted, I'll rest first or choose lighter work instead of trying to force flow on an exhausted mind.
• Hydration and nutrition must be addressed proactively. I keep water within arm's reach and ensure I'm neither hungry nor overfull. Insulin spikes from carbs can derail focus, so I avoid them before important work.
• Bathroom needs should be handled before attempting flow. Nothing breaks immersion faster than needing to pee! Many people break their flow because they forget about this obvious step.
• Temperature comfort matters more than you think. I keep my workspace slightly cool (around 68°F/20°C) since slight coolness promotes alertness without discomfort.
• Other physical distractions must be eliminated systematically. This includes silencing notifications, wearing noise-canceling headphones if necessary, adjusting lighting to prevent eye strain, and ensuring my workspace is clean and organized. I position all tools I might need within reach so I won't need to break focus to search for something.

Physical discomfort creates escape routes from the flow state. Flow state feels natural and effortless, but it's actually very demanding on your brain. Your brain will use discomfort as an excuse to break concentration. A slight thirst becomes overwhelming when you're deep in flow. A minor background noise grows intolerable. By addressing these factors proactively, you close off the escape hatches that your mind might use to avoid deep work.

Like a chef who can execute complex dishes flawlessly under pressure because everything is in its place, your prepared physical state allows your mind to execute complex cognitive tasks without diverting attention to bodily needs or environmental distractions.

Mental mise en place

In addition to applying physical mise en place, you also need to apply mental mise en place. While physical preparation creates the right external conditions, mental preparation establishes the correct internal conditions for flow. This cognitive organization is just as important as its physical counterpart.

My mental preparation ritual consists of the following:

• Clearing mental workspace by emptying my mind of distracting thoughts before beginning. I use a quick brain dump, writing down any urgent thoughts, unimportant concerns, or bizarre ideas that might pull me away from flow. This reassures my brain that these items won't be forgotten, allowing my subconscious to release its grip on them.
• Setting intention involves clearly defining what I want to accomplish during the upcoming flow session. Vague goals produce vague results. I think about a specific statement of what success looks like for this session. This gives my subconscious a clear target to aim for.
• Defining scope prevents the ambiguity that can derail flow. I establish clear boundaries around what I will and won't tackle during this session. This prevents my mind from wandering into adjacent problems or getting overwhelmed by the entirety of a project.
• Removing decision points is critical for maintaining uninterrupted flow. I identify any potential spots where I might need to stop and make a choice, then make those decisions in advance. If I'm writing, I decide on my outline before starting. If I'm coding, I determine my approach to potential roadblocks. By front-loading these decisions, I minimize the chance of breaking flow to deliberate on options.
• Preparing follow-up tasks addresses the subconscious worry about "what's next" that can pull me out of flow as I near completion. I decide in advance what I'll work on after this session, which creates a psychological safe landing zone.

For both physical and mental preparation, consistency is extremely important. The subconscious dog loves consistency, because it makes it easy to learn what we want from it. The ritual itself becomes a trigger for flow when performed regularly. Over time, simply starting your preparation routine signals to your brain that flow is imminent, making the transition smoother and more reliable.

Transition into flow

Recognizing the early signs of flow is essential, but requires a delicate balance of awareness. You want to notice flow occurring, but you don't want to focus your attention on flow. Paradoxically, focusing on flow disrupts it. It's like trying to observe yourself falling asleep—the very act of observation prevents the thing you're trying to observe.

The early indicators of flow include a sense of heightened focus, slight time distortion, decreased awareness of your surroundings, and a feeling of increased capability. When you notice these signs, acknowledge them lightly without dwelling on them, then redirect your full attention to your task.

This intermediate phase between normal consciousness and full flow is fragile. Protect it by maintaining complete focus on your task, avoiding even minor distractions. Don't check notifications "just for a second" or allow brief interruptions. The transition typically takes 10-15 minutes of unbroken concentration before flow fully establishes itself.

Common pitfalls during the transition phase include premature self-evaluation, second-guessing your approach, and the temptation to multitask. How to gently encourage flow without forcing it requires understanding the balance between effort and ease. You can't force flow—attempting to do so creates tension that prevents flow from happening. Instead, maintain a steady, relaxed focus on your task.

Maintaining flow

You can extend flow duration by minimizing potential interruptions. Ensure long stretches of uninterrupted time by blocking your calendar, silencing communications, and informing colleagues or family members not to disturb you. Use natural stopping points within your work to briefly handle physical needs if necessary. Once you've established flow, brief breaks of a minute or two should not have break it.

However, handling unexpected interruptions requires a specific recovery protocol. If you're knocked out of flow by something unexpected, don't panic or become frustrated. Instead, acknowledge the interruption, handle it quickly if necessary, then return to your work by reviewing what you were doing and where you were headed. Sometimes you can re-enter flow immediately, while other times you might need to repeat parts of your pre-flow ritual.

When to intentionally exit flow is something few people consider, but it's important. Flow states are powerful but can be depleting if extended too long. It's better to end a flow session deliberately when you're still productive than to push until you crash. This creates a positive association with the experience and makes future flow sessions easier to attain.

Training your flow ability

Consistently building neural pathways is fundamental to developing reliable flow. Each time you successfully enter flow following your preparation ritual, you strengthen the neural connections between your routine and the flow state.^[3] This is why consistency matters so much—you're rewiring your brain to respond to specific cues with specific mental states.

The importance of celebrating successful flow sessions can't be overstated. Your subconscious responds powerfully to positive reinforcement. After a good flow session, take a moment to acknowledge what went well and how productive you were. Enjoy a nice snack and a drink! This creates positive associations that make your subconscious more eager to enter flow in the future.

You may also want to build a personal flow profile. Through consistent practice and observation, you'll discover your unique flow triggers and obstacles. Some people flow best in the morning, others at night. Some need absolute silence, while others work better with background noise. By being aware of which variables you prefer, you can improve your physical and mental mise en place.

Common failure modes

The most common ways to fail at achieving flow are:

• Using some kind of "pomodoro" technique, where you force yourself to work for half hour intervals. As you can probably tell, this approach is completely antithetical to flow. It's like beating your subconscious dog with a stick. Cruel and unnecessary.
• Trying to enter flow state when you're tired but have urgent work to do. This sabotages both your immediate productivity and your long-term ability to access flow. Flow is energy intensive. Your tired brain simply cannot enter flow.^[4]
• Not entering flow after the preparation. Each time you stop, you're confusing your subconscious dog and it will not understand what you want. You're breaking the connection between the ritual and the outcome.

Conclusion

Flow isn't some mystical state reserved for artists and athletes—it's a practical skill that anyone can develop with the right approach. Your subconscious mind is like a well-intentioned but instinct-driven dog that needs clear, consistent training to understand what you want.

When you can reliably enter flow, you'll experience greater satisfaction in your work, reduced stress from time pressure, and a deepening of skill that comes from concentrated practice. Perhaps most importantly, you'll reclaim a sense of agency over your mental states rather than being at the mercy of external circumstances or fleeting motivation.

Flow isn't just about getting more done. It's about being fully engaged with what matters most to you. Master this skill, and you transform not just how you work, but how you experience the work itself.

---