Many employees find it difficult to concentrate on their work. Now, a study published in the journal Neuropsychologia advises taking inspiration from jazz musicians to maximise cognitive abilities.

The research focuses on what is known as “flow”, which refers to a state of total concentration during which body and mind are completely absorbed in a single task. American-Hungarian psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi was the first to take an interest in this subject in the 1970s, during research into the creative process.

Since then, psychological research has shown that the experience of flow – or being “in the zone” – can enhance physical and mental performance. Anyone can experience moments of flow in their free time or at work, but athletes, musicians and artists are more likely to be frequently immersed in this psychological state.

This has prompted researchers from Drexel University in the US to recruit 30 jazz guitarists to understand the key brain processes associated with flow. The artistes had varying levels of experience, depending on the number of public performances they had given.

The scientists placed electrodes on the musicians’ heads to record their brain waves as they improvised to provided chord sequences and rhythms. The guitarists were also asked to rate the degree of flow they felt while playing.

In addition, the experts listened to the songs the participants had created to determine how creative they were.

It turns out that the performances deemed most creative were those during which guitarists reported being in a state of flow. Seasoned musicians were more likely to experience it while playing their instrument than novices, suggesting that experience is a prerequisite for the state of flow.

From a cerebral perspective, the researchers found that experienced musicians “in the zone” showed reduced activity in parts of their frontal lobe involved in executive functions.

Conversely, brain areas involved in hearing and vision were more engaged, which makes sense given that the guitarists improvised while reading chord sequences and listening to musical rhythms.

These findings show just how different the brain’s mental state is from ordinary wakefulness when experiencing flow. The researchers write that their findings are “consistent with the idea that creative flow represents optimised domain-specific processing enabled by extensive practice paired with reduced cognitive control”.

This research deepens our understanding of the brain mechanisms involved in flow: it shows that this state requires a certain technical mastery and expertise. When you’re in the zone, things seem to happen with ease; you feel as if you’re in total control of what you’re doing.

In fact, this feeling of total mastery is what makes moments of flow so enjoyable. So, to experience this on a regular basis, you need to strive to become better at what you do – for example, by setting yourself stimulating challenges.

But make sure they’re not unrealistic – otherwise, stress can take the place of flow.