5 Strategies to Get In “Flow,” Regulate Your Nervous System, and Fully Show Up As a Leader

We don’t often get a lot of slack, especially early in our careers. With so many people being so quick to write us off, we’ve got to put our best foot forward in any given moment, at any given meeting, on any given day. That often means doing the work to achieve and return to a state of “flow,” an embodiment of the alignment between who we are and what we do, multiple times throughout the day. Psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi coined the term in the 1960s, while studying the creative process. We often find flow when we’re completely caught up in an activity: making art, reading, writing, working out, tackling a math problem or spreadsheet. We’re entirely focused on the task at hand, and as a result, time seems to slip away. We melt into what we’re doing and often find the best version of ourselves and our work as a result.

The path to flow looks different for everyone. For me, it’s meditation, finding a quiet space to close my eyes, breathe, and clear my mind so I can collect my thoughts and move forward. For you it may be exercise, arriving at flow drenched in sweat at level ten on the treadmill, focusing on miniscule muscles in a Pilates class, or even taking the time to drop into a quick set of pushups behind your desk to get into the right headspace when you can’t hit the gym. For others, it may be saying affirmations while staring into the mirror. Still others might find flow by listening to music, letting their heartbeat sync to the rhythm, or dancing with all they’ve got until their body seems to meld with the sound. The point is to get back to clarity: an internal place where you know who you are, what you want to do, and what’s driving you.

Take the time to check in with yourself throughout the day. If you notice that you’re feeling less than your best, do what you need to do to get back into flow.

But what about the stuff that doesn’t feel especially inspiring? The small, tedious tasks that are part of the game of life?

You can find a way to tap into flow there, too. My kids are charged with doing the dishes in our house, and they take turns choosing the music to get them through. Suddenly, the beat hits and something that’s potentially painful feels light and fun, quickly transforming into a family bonding session where we’re all in our groove. Before we know it, those dishes are sparkling and sitting on the rack, and we’re all feeling better than we were before taking on the task.

But what about when you’re feeling overwhelmed or even panicked? I’m talking about those moments when meditation or even small tasks feel like too much to bear?

When your heart starts racing, your palms begin sweating, or your mind goes blank just when you need clarity most? These are telltale signs of a dysregulated nervous system—and they can sabotage your leadership presence in critical moments.

Our bodies weren’t designed for the constant vigilance that modern leadership demands. When I was preparing for major investor presentations as CEO or difficult board conversations, I found myself unable to sleep through the nights. My thoughts raced, my breathing was shallow, and despite knowing my material cold, it was difficult to access that knowledge during challenging situations. My nervous system was hijacked by stress.

But you can combat this by getting back to basics—tapping into your physical self to find calm when it’s most critical.

Here are five concrete practices I’ve found to be transformative:  

1. The ninety-second reset: Before entering any high-stakes situation, find a private space and take a deep breath, counting to four as you inhale through your nose, holding for seven counts, and exhaling slowly through your mouth for eight counts. Do this three times total. This practice immediately activates your parasympathetic nervous system, lowering stress hormones within ninety seconds. I’ve done it in bathroom stalls before board meetings, and it works.
2. Hand on heart: When you feel anxiety rising during a meeting, discreetly place one hand on your heart while continuing the conversation. This simple physical anchor sends safety signals to your brain and helps you stay present.
3. Cold water splash: Keep a cold water bottle with you. When stress mounts, excuse yourself briefly, go to the restroom, and splash cold water on your wrists or press the cold bottle against the back of your neck. The temperature change triggers an immediate physiological shift out of fight-or-flight mode.
4. Schedule recovery blocks: In your calendar, block twenty-minute “recovery zones” between high-intensity meetings. Use this time to walk outside, stretch, or simply sit quietly. One tech executive I mentor sets a non-negotiable fifteen-minute buffer after board meetings where she does nothing but breathe and integrate before moving to her next commitment.
5. Evening wind-down ritual: Create a consistent ten-minute routine that signals to your body it’s time to shift from performance mode to recovery. This might include turning off screens, gentle stretching, or writing down tomorrow’s priorities so your brain can stop rehearsing them. This boundary between work and rest is critical for nervous system regulation.

These practices aren’t luxuries, they’re essential leadership tools. When your nervous system is regulated, you access your full intelligence, creativity, and relational capacity. You become immune to emotional contagion in tense situations. You make decisions from clarity rather than fear. And crucially, you model this centered presence for your team, creating a ripple effect throughout your organization.

Written by Sheila Gujrathi, MD. Have you read?
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