I was recently sent an advanced copy of author Sarah Gregg’s latest book, Find Your Flow: The Simple And Life Changing Practice For A Happier You. I came to know Sarah in recent times and discovered how much we had in common through our shared work. In full disclosure, I was not asked to write this review but offered to do so because the content of the book resonated with me. I have been familiar with flow as studied by the Hungarian-American psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, which Gregg references in her book. Most recently, the associate Prof of computer science at Georgetown University, Cal Newport wrote about the pitfalls of distraction in his book: Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World.
Being productive is not enough to sustain us in these times. We need to focus on quality work or deep work, as Cal Newport puts it. Sarah Gregg’s book calls our attention to flow states in which she focuses on several areas of flow throughout our day, including: Morning Flow, Forward Focus, Total Flow and Night-Time Reflection. I enjoyed the relaxed and delightful manner in which the book is written. I received a hardback colour copy of the book, with an embossed front cover and enchanting inner pages that are creatively designed. The subtle colours and themes for each section evoke a Zen-like quality and I found myself reading the book in one sitting.
Similarly, I was drawn to the journal and summary towards the end of the book, which is a clever use of summarising the main points. The journal entries allow you to write your Morning Grateful Flow, Forward Focus: your high value priorities and your High Flow priorities. There is also a section to journal your ideal day which Gregg calls, Total Flow and a Night-Time Reflection section. What I most enjoyed about the book is the way in which the author draws on her own experience and interweaves it with current research in the field. There is a detailed footnotes section at the end of the book for those interested in the cited research.
In my practice as a motivational coach and author, I often come across people who struggle with deadlines and achieving their goals. My impression is that many of them find it difficult to be productive. It is this distraction that gets the better of us because we compromise our work to the smaller distractions that vie for our attention. Gregg’s book is a perfect reminder that being productive is not enough to achieve our goals and highest ambitions. We must be purposeful and intentional with our day and create sound habits to fall back on, whilst creating time to examine our underlying purpose.
I highly recommend Find Your Flow: The Simple And Life Changing Practice For A Happier You, particularly if you find it difficult to focus your time and energy to important tasks. It is when we learn to embody flow that we will gain better control of our lives and focus on what truly matters. We must avoid being distracted by circumstances that are not worth our time and effort. We have so many hours in the day and with the constant distraction of electronic devices, many of us find it difficult to be purposeful and intentional about our day. Gregg’s book is a reminder how to rediscover the joy of directing our attention through the power of flow.
The book is available for purchase in hardback via the Quarto Knows website.
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