Investigating the ways mindfulness contributes to the state of flow in a professional working environment – case Finnish technology company
Kalugina, Daria (2026)
2026
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202601241733
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202601241733
Tiivistelmä
People are said to spend half of their lives working. The nature of work and working culture have been changing rapidly in the 21st century, emphasizing such phenomenon as wellbeing at work as people start leaning towards seeking purpose first. As part of the positive psychology movement, the concept of flow helps to reveal what makes people happy at work. The ability to sustain attention and bring order to consciousness is essential for experiencing the flow state. Meanwhile, it is believed that mindfulness can cultivate the feeling of being present, train attention and become aware of the contents of consciousness.
The objective of this study is to reveal how mindfulness contributes to the state of flow. The main research questions will focus on exploring how the flow and mindfulness concepts are perceived in the selected case organization. Another intention is to unravel how the state of flow can be achieved in the organization at a higher level of quality.
The theoretical framework was based on the two pillars – the concept of the flow model developed by Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi (2009) and the psychological flexibility model developed by Bond et al. (2016). Additionally, the approach to practicing mindfulness was explained through the attitudinal foundations of mindfulness based on Jon Kabat-Zinn’s (1994) work.
The study was executed in the form of qualitative research methods, by conducting semi-structured and open-ended interviews. The sampling for the interviews was selective with pre-identified interview participants.
The results suggest that practicing mindfulness can have a direct impact on the intensity of experiencing the flow state due to its benefits of calming the mind down, unwinding, and controlling attention. The results also indicate that flow and mindfulness cannot be experienced simultaneously. During the flow state, individuals experience loss of self-consciousness as they become completely immersed in the activity, while mindfulness is about becoming conscious and aware of the inner sensations and surroundings. However, outside of the flow state, mindfulness can be practiced resulting in a stronger ability to sustain attention. Additionally, mindfulness can help an individual become aware of distractions when exiting the state of flow and better prepare for the experience by intentionally ordering information in consciousness.
This study concludes with a conceptual model visualizing how mindfulness supports achieving the flow state and suggests practical implications for employees and the case study organization that can be applied to improve the experience of the flow through mindfulness practice and by addressing the pain points highlighted by the participants during data collection.
The objective of this study is to reveal how mindfulness contributes to the state of flow. The main research questions will focus on exploring how the flow and mindfulness concepts are perceived in the selected case organization. Another intention is to unravel how the state of flow can be achieved in the organization at a higher level of quality.
The theoretical framework was based on the two pillars – the concept of the flow model developed by Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi (2009) and the psychological flexibility model developed by Bond et al. (2016). Additionally, the approach to practicing mindfulness was explained through the attitudinal foundations of mindfulness based on Jon Kabat-Zinn’s (1994) work.
The study was executed in the form of qualitative research methods, by conducting semi-structured and open-ended interviews. The sampling for the interviews was selective with pre-identified interview participants.
The results suggest that practicing mindfulness can have a direct impact on the intensity of experiencing the flow state due to its benefits of calming the mind down, unwinding, and controlling attention. The results also indicate that flow and mindfulness cannot be experienced simultaneously. During the flow state, individuals experience loss of self-consciousness as they become completely immersed in the activity, while mindfulness is about becoming conscious and aware of the inner sensations and surroundings. However, outside of the flow state, mindfulness can be practiced resulting in a stronger ability to sustain attention. Additionally, mindfulness can help an individual become aware of distractions when exiting the state of flow and better prepare for the experience by intentionally ordering information in consciousness.
This study concludes with a conceptual model visualizing how mindfulness supports achieving the flow state and suggests practical implications for employees and the case study organization that can be applied to improve the experience of the flow through mindfulness practice and by addressing the pain points highlighted by the participants during data collection.