Last week I suggested a Weekly Review, Goal Setting & Deep Work Productivity Session as the #1 productivity hack for investment managers and investor relations teams. 

The vast majority of highly successful investment managers have implemented this as a habit, because it helps as we all juggle countless tasks—client meetings, research, compliance, team management.

Without intentional focus, we typically, week after week, leave too little room for proactive business development. But we also need to work ON our business. This is what a Deep Work Productivity Session is for. If you missed last week’s tip, you can catch up here.
 

Today we’ll take the next step where I’ll show you a technique you can use to improve your productivity and creativity in such a Deep Work Productivity Session by up to 500%, according to research at the University of Sydney:
 

The Flow State

Flow is described as a state of optimal performance denoted by smooth and accurate performance with an acute absorption in the task.

In the modern workplace there are so many distractions, from messages to meetings, that result in a reduction of productivity. On the other side, flow states have clearly demonstrated to help people reach peak performance, however this elusive state is not easily attained.

The good news is that the more you understand the prerequisites for flow and practice entering it, the easier you will tap into the flow state—turning focused work into a superpower.

Take advantage of our guidance and aim for a flow experience in your Deep Work sessions:

1. Flow states are the result of uninterrupted focus on an activity.
2. Inform the people around you that you can’t be reached for a while. Put the phone in another room. Close your email program and when you need to use an internet browser, start a new session with only those windows open you actually need for this activity.
3. Set clear goals, and work on tasks that are challenging but within your skill level.
4. When you're in flow, time melts away and you become fully immersed—this is where your best work happens.
5. Mastering flow isn't just about working harder, it's about working in alignment with your brain's natural peak performance mode for your self-defined goals.

Don’t underestimate how powerful flow can be in your investment business. When you make it a habit to regularly enter this state, not only do you accomplish more—you often enjoy your work more, too.
 

In next week’s edition, we’ll explore a simple technique to reliably help you finish off those most bothering tasks of our to-do lists with The 10-Minute Task Purge.

Until then, stay focused—and aim for flow.