This is the idea that being totally immersed in an activity means you’re unable to focus your attention on anything else. The activity should push you outside your comfort zone, because if something is too easy you won’t need to fully focus. Within this you need clear steps to feel a sense of flow. There should also be no agony over failure, as enjoyment is in the process, rather than trying to be the best. You have to do something purely for the sake of doing it – there should be no deadlines, no prizes, and no self-conscious thought.
Put water, exercise and flow psychology together and paddle-boarding becomes a one-size-fits-all well being wonder. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a total pro, paddle-boarding is an activity you can do purely for the sake of it. Unlike surfing, which has also been linked to health and wellbeing, there doesn’t need to be a final goal.
Even the most relaxed surfing requires catching a wave, which is great fun, but it can be disheartening if you don’t succeed. Paddle-boarding requires simple steps: learn to balance on your knees, learn to balance on your feet, learn to paddle, learn to steer, continuously paddle, notice the sound of the water, feel the glide of the moving board – all of these actions require complete focus. And if you wobble a bit? Falling off is always a good giggle, in the water it doesn’t hurt, and you can always have a little break and a swim –so there’s no agony over failure. Like your wandering mind in meditation, that wavering focus can always be brought back to the present.
With paddle-boarding, you just hop back on the board. For someone with more experience, the benefit is still accessible. Try paddling faster, slower, backwards, or lying down. You can focus on the sounds of the water, the feel of the water moving underneath your feet, the wind or sun on your body. The repetitive paddling means your mind is always focused on your body’s balance and movement which, as Csikszentmihalyi explains, immediately limits how much your mind can wander. It literally becomes difficult to think about work, shopping-lists, and credit card bills, and easier to become aware of yourself, how you feel, and your own well being.
So, if you want to improve your mental and physical well being, get on a paddle board. You’ll feel great.
