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Where hyperfocus and flow overlap, where they differ, and why the difference helps in planning recovery.
Hyperfocus and flow are not the same thing. Both involve absorbed attention. They feel different from the inside and have different costs.
Flow is the state described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi where skill and challenge are matched and time feels effortless. People typically come out of it feeling refreshed. Hyperfocus, often described in ADHD literature, can look similar from the outside but tends to leave the person depleted afterwards. The choice of activity is often less voluntary in hyperfocus.
If your absorbed states leave you tired and a bit disoriented, you may have been in hyperfocus rather than flow. The recovery needs are different. Hyperfocus often benefits from external cues to come out at a planned time.
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