Summary: Productivity isn’t about working harder-it’s about creating the right mental conditions for your brain to perform at its best. By combining enjoyment, the right level of challenge, and focused attention, you can unlock flow and dramatically improve how effectively you work.

You don’t have to wait until a magic moment of productivity strikes. You can learn to create that inspiration and drive on demand – all you need is the right cocktail. Of neurochemicals, that is. And that’s where my Fun, Fear, and Focus© framework comes in.

How Do You Get Into A Flow State?

The secret to being up to 5 times more productive is getting into the flow state. In order to get there, you need the right balance of fun, fear and focus©. Each of these “F”s is associated with its own neurochemical: Fun = dopamine, Fear = noradrenaline, and Focus = acetylcholine. When these 3 are at their perfect ratio in your brain, you will get into flow. 

It’s in this state that you reach your peak performance and productivity. Not only will you learn five times faster, but you will also be 5 times more productive and be fully immersed and present in what you’re doing. Luckily, you don’t have to wait for this magic combo to happen spontaneously – you can create it whenever you want.

Why Is Fun Important for Your Productivity? 

We know by now that when you are doing something you enjoy, your brain will release dopamine. But did you know that not only does dopamine make you feel better, it also helps your brain perform better. Dopamine aids you in being more flexible, more motivated, learning better, and actually enjoying the task at hand. You will never reach your full potential if you are not having fun while doing it. Even at work. We could even say – especially at work. Research shows that while people long for free time, they experience the flow state much more often at work and are more miserable (on average) when they have free, unstructured time. 

Do you need to find every single thing you’re doing exciting? No. But do make sure that you at least find it rewarding. Find work that is in line with your strengths, and don’t try to force yourself into roles that don’t suit you. These are small ways that you can make sure that you are on the right track to get into flow.

Why Is It Important To Step Outside Your Comfort Zone?

A toxic boss is not going to inspire you to do your best – that’s not the kind of fear we’re speaking about. We’re talking about the fear that comes from something being slightly outside of your comfort zone, or what I like to call: being slightly overchallenged. When you’re good at what you do, when you’ve mastered it and have become confident in it, it becomes boring. It’s no longer novel to your brain, and it doesn’t engage your brain the same way it did before. It’s almost second nature. And counterintuitively, that comfort does not lead to you performing at your best.

Find small ways to challenge yourself, to push your abilities and limits in fun ways. You want to be in the Goldilocks zone between being bored (too easy) and overwhelmed (too hard) as that’s when your brain releases a healthy dose of noradrenaline, skyrocketing your performance and enjoyment. This is where you gain excellence. Just like lifting weights in the gym, the more you do it, the easier the weight is to lift, and you’re left with a choice: do I stick with the same volume, or do I challenge myself and go up? Lean into that right level of fear and see what happens!

How Do You Stay Focused at Work? 

Without focus, you’ll never find flow. Our current work cultures are almost the antithesis of focus – with the constant notifications, distractions, and expectations to multitask. This is not how the brain works best. When people multitask, they make 50% more mistakes, and they need 50% longer to finish the task.

Set boundaries at work so that you can focus on what really matters. One of my favorite ways is a “meeting of one”: block the time in your calendar, close your office doors if you have them, silence notifications, turn your phone to Do Not Disturb, set a timer (no more than 90 minutes – your brain needs breaks too!) and put all of your focus on one task. This single-minded approach is the best way to leverage your brain’s production of acetylcholine to bring you into flow.

What Helps You Work At Your Best? 

Flow will happen naturally when these 3 things come together: Fun, Fear, and Focus©. You will reach that blissful state where time seems to fall away, you’re locked into what you’re doing, and you’re enjoying it! By knowing how to get into flow and hack your brain for increased productivity, you will gain back the 2 most valuable and finite resources that you have: your energy and your time.

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About the Author

Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Neuroscientist. Keynote speaker.

Friederike Fabritius is a neuroscientist, Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and keynote speaker who translates cutting-edge brain science into actionable leadership strategies for Fortune 500 organizations. Author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller The Brain-Friendly Workplace and the award-winning The Leading Brain, Friederike is recognized as a trailblazer in neuroleadership, helping executives think sharper, innovate faster, and lead through complexity. A LinkedIn Top Voice who is quoted frequently in the media, Friederike has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Newsweek, among many others. Friederike has built a community of over 50k professionals through her LinkedIn audience and “The Brain-Friendly Newsletter”.

Friederike consistently earns speaker ratings of 4.9 out of 5 and Net Promoter Scores over 90%. Her outstanding audience feedback is why her clients ask her to return to them again and again.