What is the distinction between Hyperfocus and Flow State?
I love the idea of Flow and being in a flow state, I’ve written around the topic many times, including this core post.
In the last few years, I have also become more and more curious about ADHD as I see some family members, friends, and mentees learning about their own neurodiversity and ways to work with it in our world that is focused on the neurotypical.
This week I learned something around ADHD which shifted my perception of the relationship to flow for people with ADHD.
Around 18 months ago I wrote “Time Blindness and the Power of Presence“, inspired by Jesse J Anderson and his “5 Pillars of ADHD Strategy Guide”. In that blog I referenced Flow:
With all the many leaders I have worked with, I would estimate that they get in the “zone” once per week if they are lucky (or consciously plan that space). By the zone, I think of getting into a space of deep focus where they are in the “now”, fully present, unaware of time, simply in the “flow”.
Imagine if, instead, we could get into the zone four or five times per day, what would be possible in terms of that leader focussing on the truly important?
This thought came from the fact that those with ADHD have the ability to get into a deeply focused space at least four to five times daily. I felt I’d had a great idea of how corporations could work better with those with ADHD.
This holds true still. Today though, another piece of education for me came from Jesse’s substack this week. In this, he explained the distinction he feels between Flow and Hyperfocus, one that shifted my understanding of ADHD and Flow. As Jesse puts it:
In a flow state, you may find yourself thinking (and believing), “I can’t be stopped!” Crucially, though, you can redirect your focus to whatever task needs to be done. In hyperfocus, on the other hand, you feel more like you’re stuck.
A key distinction for me to understand, then, is that ADHD people often can’t switch in and out of being focussed.
Jesse is in the closing stages of readying to publish his book, you can sign up for his waitlist at https://www.extrafocusbook.com/ , I certainly look forward to reading it. He notes on the sign-up page:
The more I learned about ADHD, the more I could see it everywhere in my life. Procrastination, hyperfocus, difficulties with willpower and motivation, poor memory, perfectionism, time blindness, intense emotional reactions, not living up to my “potential”… the list was long.
So many things I’d chalked up as “personality quirks” and “just my weird brain” were actually symptoms of ADHD.