Tag Archives: ‘Flow’

Irrelevant Complexity 1) – Odd Jobs

Posted on April 27, 2013 by

‘Relevant complexity’ is my theory of everything: satisfaction and joy arise from the pursuit of complex, worthwhile and comparatively challenging pursuits. Art history, particle physics, the raising of children, the preparation and enjoyment of good food etc etc – all … Continue reading →

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Arts and Draughts

Posted on October 27, 2012 by

I found myself talking Art – with a nice bloke I’ve never met before – in the pub this week. It was at a leaving do for my other half. Neither of us look like gallery buffs. But a happy … Continue reading →

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Fridge Frees

Posted on August 11, 2012 by

Proof, if ever it were needed, that Csikszentmihalyi’s ‘flow’ can be found in any – and I mean any – activity. This morning at 7.45am, I began chucking some veg and old bottles of chilli out of the fridge… …Two … Continue reading →

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Sport as Life

Posted on June 24, 2012 by

The thesis: truly great sporting skill and self-expression come best when not too structured, not too investigated, not too explored. The counter: nearly-great performance is helped by study, stats, practice and heightened professionalism. Stimulated by a cricket ground conversation with … Continue reading →

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Relevant Complexity 3) Classical Music

Posted on February 18, 2012 by

For the second time in as many weeks, my testy mood has been dramatically improved by the prompt application of ‘relevant complexity’. Taken to the point of some irritation by relentlessly noisy and restless kids, a dose of classical music … Continue reading →

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Ham Fisted

Posted on January 29, 2012 by

Man handling Pipe fitting Wire stripping Fuse popping Floor slopping Finger trapping Pushing and shoving Dishwasher in Knackered out Why is it most ‘manly’ installation tasks come round so infrequently that you make all the mistakes in the book? Having … Continue reading →

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Relevant Complexity 2) Hobbies

Posted on January 21, 2012 by

Until last year I absolutely didn’t get ‘hobbies’. Now I am persuaded hobbies maketh the man. The big mistake in life, I reckon – observing overwork, depression and recession hitting even the most high powered of my friends – is … Continue reading →

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Relevant Complexity 1) The Spice of Life

Posted on January 8, 2012 by

My new theory of everything: all purpose and enjoyment in life is found in ‘relevant complexity’. I came to the idea via the Hungarian American psychologist Mihili Csikszentmihalyi’s theory of ‘flow’: that we achieve optimum experience when we meet considerable … Continue reading →

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Guilt

Posted on July 9, 2011 by

I was reminded of one of my own ‘mottos at work’ this week – don’t start with an apology. We often start an encounter by excusing ourselves for things that aren’t really our fault. That, or making an unduly self-deprecating … Continue reading →

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Stamps

Posted on June 11, 2011 by

I’ve written before on the topic of ‘flow’, children and embroidering life with rich experience – large and small. And we managed all four this morning, thanks to a cheap packet of world stamps. The agile, and occasionally restless, mind … Continue reading →

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