How To Find Ease & Flow In Your Life Through CliftonStrengths

Our days get busier and busier. Growing up, everyone would say, “When you are an adult…” and follow up with all of these freeing experiences. But that has not been the case. The work gets harder. I am being pulled in more directions. I have less and less time on my hands. I keep asking, “How do I find ease and flow in my life?!??”

How do I find ease and flow in my life?!??

As a dreamer, I always think of new things I would like to do, experience, or see. There are trips I want to take for a second time because biking through the countryside in Italy is not enough. I want more!

But how do I find it when life keeps throwing more at me?

We need to find ways to develop and integrate flow and ease into your life.

I talk about ease and flow, but let’s get on the same page about what I mean by this…

Ease = we are talking effortless, easy, breezy, beautiful cover girl here. You don’t need to think about the process. It just happens with ease.

Flow = A state of mind where you are fully immersed in a task or project. You lose track of time because nothing exists beyond what we are doing now.

Now that you have seen the definitions, you cannot help but agree. YES, WE NEED IT. So let’s talk about how you can create ease and flow in your life. Here are 4 Ways to Create Ease and Flow

4 Ways to Create Ease and Flow

1. Look To Your Past Success

   Do you remember that group project you got an A in? Or when you finished a work assignment days before it was due (and normally, you are a last-minute person)? Or the time that you finished a book?

   Past success is a pre-cursor to your future. What you have done before, you can do again. We need to remember HOW it happened and what led to that success.

   I love discussing past success because it gives us a chance to build off something. We are not guessing how this works. Instead, we are building off of a previous experience. As we think of that past success, ask yourself these questions:

   1. What was the objective?

   2. Tell me about the environment.

   3. How did you find success? What did you do?

   If we can recreate your success, you are one step closer to finding your special way to get work done, create ease in the process, and find space to have time freedom & more of what you love.

2. Use Your Strengths

   Your Top 5 CliftonStrengths are your fast track to your success. Using your strengths helps you step into ease and flow.

   If we look at my definition of ease, you need to have a moment where it is effortless. You are not thinking about what you are doing; it just happens. To stop thinking, you will want to use your Top 5 CliftonStrengths. These are your talents that are second nature (maybe even first nature sometimes). Using your Strengths is the path of least resistance. It brings you directly to ease.

   Now let’s talk about how your Strengths are a fast track to flow. Flow happens when we have an optimal level of challenge, and it engages our strengths. We want it to be evenly balanced.

   For example, If we are doing something that is challenging, but not something we are good at, we disengage.

   We can find flow when facing a challenge by engaging our strengths. We want to find ways to do our best.

3. Work with Someone

   When I work with my bestie, time simply flies. If I need to complete a task that otherwise drains me, I find someone to work with. Once a month, I have a coffee date with myself. I am not a huge coffee drinker, but this coffee date has a greater purpose. I have several tasks I have been pushing off (for me, it is usually balancing my checkbook and planning social media & blogging content.

   To help me out, I invite a friend to join me during this working session. Here are the two reasons why I do this.

   1. I enjoy being around this person.

      I invite my friends and trusted business partners because I appreciate their presence. They make an otherwise dreadful task SO much more bearable. When I need a break, I can vent to them or tell them a funny story about something that happened recently. I work with others because they care and help motivate me to be successful (even if they do not know it).

   2. Coworking holds me accountable.

      Coworking is simply working with someone else. Working virtually, coworking sessions are my most productive times. I usually only schedule coworking time when I need to get stuff done. There is a fire under my butt, and I need support. I have some accountability space by inviting a trusted colleague to work with me. It is harder to ignore my work and go on Instagram and SCROLL for hours. Instead, I follow through with my work. THEN I get to play and have some fun.

4. Pair Work With Something You Love

   I will do anything to avoid a task I do NOT want to do. Anything. It might be dusting the top of the refrigerator or wiping down the cabinets. I will find a way. So, why not pair your work with something that you love? Here are some ideas (you don’t have to stop after this).

   • Listening To Music - For some, it is Taylor Swift on repeat, but if it is me, LoFi Beats gets me moving (here is my favorite YouTube LoFi Beats). Music helps me take half a step away from the task I am working on. It allows me to flow into work instead of getting stuck in my head. It distracts me from being distracted.

   • Complete a Task You Love First - You know, fill your own cup first. When we do something we love first or with the task, we have more energy to make it through and are more likely to find ease. You are more likely to find ease when you have energy.

   • Reward - Finally, I step into flow when I know a reward is on the line. It takes me out of distraction and into focus. Choose rewards that work for you. My personal rewards vary from sitting on the porch and doing nothing, watching an episode of my favorite anime, or getting some ice cream.

Your flow is unique to you.

So use these as a guide. Try methods that intrigue you. Tap into your Top CliftonStrengths in meaningful ways to create the environment you need to have ease and flow in your life. Join my email list today to be the first to know about how to create flow and ease.

In Strength & WellBeing,
Kyle Johann-Baker

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