When was the last time you were really performing at your best at work? Today? Last week? Last month? Last year?

You know those moments when you feel like you’re in the zone and everything is coming together. You lose all track of time. You might not feel anything much in the moment, but afterwards you have that real sense of satisfaction of having done something well.

Great ideas are flying. You’re getting the right people on board. Solid plans are being executed. And exceptional results are materializing.

Don’t you think it would be handy if you create more of these moments – just when you most need it?  Then keep reading!

The Secret To Your Best Performances

Professor Mike Csikszentmihalyi from Claremont University has found that when we’re able to strike the right balance between our skills and the challenges we’re undertaking we become so absorbed and involved in that moment that enter the state he calls “flow”.

Now if the task is too easy, then we risk slipping into boredom, if it’s too hard, we draft towards anxiety.  But when the level of challenge for our strengths is “just right” we hit the goldilocks moment of flow where our sense of engagement is at its very best.

In this episode of Chelle McQuaid TV, I’ll show you how to create moments of flow to unleash your best performances.

How Can You Unleash Your Best Performance More Often?

Now this might surprise you but Csikszentmihalyi’s research has found that work is an ideal place to create flow experiences because we’re often finding our strengths are being stretched by the challenges presented to us.

Chances are, you already experience flow sometimes in your work. So start to pay attention to the moments where you’re feeling really engaged and energized and give yourself permission to spend more time performing at your best. It’s good for you and for your business.

As you approach different tasks think about:

• the goal you’re trying to achieve
• which strengths you can draw on to get the job done – try to match your strengths to the task
• seeking feedback on how you’re doing

This will help you continue to match and stretch your strengths to the tasks you’re undertaking so you’re consistently performing at your best.

In his book Flow, Csikszentmihalyi suggests different ways you can perform at your best from work, to play and in your relationships. You can watch a video of Csikszentmihalyi sharing his work on peak performances here.

What are your favorite flow activities?