Flow is the psychological term for deep, enjoyable absorption in an activity, when attention is so concentrated that self-consciousness fades and action seems to run by itself. The concept was introduced in the 1970s by the Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, from interviews with artists, athletes, chess players and others about their best moments, and reached a wide public with his 1990 book on optimal experience.
Flow is thought to be most likely when a task’s challenge matches a person’s skill and goals are clear, although researchers still debate how to define and measure it precisely. Musicians often describe it while improvising, and writers or programmers during long, uninterrupted sessions.
Music can help set the stage for flow by masking distractions and marking the start of a work ritual, but no playlist can guarantee it. Steady, wordless music such as jazz lo-fi is a popular choice precisely because it stays in the background instead of pulling attention towards itself.