Microflow
How to strengthen our focus muscle in a few minutes a day
One of the hidden benefits of flow is that it turns down the self-critical part of our brain.
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This week I came across a story that really captured my attention.
In 1988, Kim Soo-Nyung, at just 17 years old, won the Olympic gold medal in archery.
She is now widely regarded as one of the greatest archers in history.
When asked what the most important part of her training was, she replied:
“My two-hour meditation practice.”
(It reminded me of Novak Djokovic’s summary of meditation and the difference it makes here)
What intrigued me further was learning that she spoke about these moments of microflow; giving her full attention to one small thing, again and again, throughout the day.
Not only did this strengthen her ability to switch on the flow state, it also helped her connect more deeply with the task in front of her.
Think of the possibilities:
Finding it easier to focus when we need to the most
Deepening our connection with someone in a single conversation
Taking genuine pleasure in completing the simplest of tasks
Staying safer while driving or cycling
Calming the nervous system in preparation for sleep
Think of microflow like turning a radio dial. The static is always there; difficult thoughts, emails, noise, notifications but with a small twist of attention, we can tune in to one clear signal.
We can train our focus muscle in tiny moments each day.
Three Benefits of Practising Microflow
1. It restores calm through immersion.
Even five or ten minutes of complete focus reduces the brain’s background “beta” chatter and activates alpha rhythms associated with calm and creativity. The nervous system recognises this single-channel attention as safety.
2. It protects your energy, not just your time.
Multitasking leaks energy through constant task-switching. Microflow conserves it — one focused act becomes a pocket of restoration rather than depletion.
3. It re-builds your sense of agency.
In a world of interruptions, finishing even one micro-task with presence (“I wrote that email carefully,” “I listened to that person,” “I buttered my toast with care”) restores a small but powerful sense of control — the antidote to burnout’s helplessness.
Your Microflow Moment
What’s one thing you could give two minutes of undivided attention to today?
4 Breath Pause
Eating a lovely snack
Drinking your favourite drink
Making the kitchen taps shinny
Listening to one of your children
Walking with a friend
Reading a book
I’ve done all the above this week. Some felt nice, some felt amazing. All felt better than usual by deciding to make them microflow moments.
The Science Bit
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi first described flow as “the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter.” Later research in neuroscience (Dietrich 2004; Ulrich 2014) found that even brief periods of focused immersion increase dopamine and alpha-wave coherence, improving mood, creativity, and learning.
Microflow is simply the everyday version of this achievable in brief moments throughout the day.
Final Thought
Flow state focus offers many benefits. From completing important work, making breakthroughs and solving problems. But perhaps the most valuable is how it helps us shift from our reactive selves to our more conscious selves. In flow, we feel more grounded. We respond from our values instead of our moods. No matter how hard things may feel, there’s always some part of our day we can still shape and control. And perhaps most importantly, begin to feel more grateful for the good already in our life.
You are a good person, doing your best. That’s enough.
“The beginning is the most important part of the work.”
― Plato
This week I enjoyed;
How to keep adult friendships and stop ghosting here
Great Lock In of 2025 here
Need a hand? Feel alone? Don’t wait, contact someone today. You deserve support as much as anyone else. You are not alone. Reply to this message if that’s easiest.
Text Shout - 85258 - simple support via text, I used when I wasn’t sure who to turn to
Call Samaritans 116 123 - no problem too small, I’ve used a couple of times, once during a relationship break up, once when one of my family said they were suicidal and I wasn’t sure who to ask for help
NHS Every Mind Matters - simple and effective resources you can access immediately here