I recently listened to a podcast featuring David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH), the Denmark-born creator of the project management and team collaboration software Basecamp, as well as the author of Remote and Rework. During the conversation, he spoke about “manufacturing” a flow state as one of the key factors that allowed him and his co-founders to bootstrap Basecamp to nearly $300 million in revenue.

The concept of flow as a source of productivity and happiness was first identified by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Hungarian-born psychologist. His research revealed that people are happiest when they are deeply engaged in tasks that sit right at the edge of their curiosity and challenge—complex enough to require focus, but not so overwhelming that they shut down.

DHH explained how Basecamp’s founders intentionally designed their company to support deep work. They maintained a flat organizational structure, minimized meetings, and allowed programmers to focus without constant interruptions. They also embraced remote work long before the Zoom era, giving their team flexibility and autonomy to work in ways that suited them best.

Unexpected Places Where Flow Happens

I’ve personally found myself slipping into flow states in unexpected places. One of the most reliable environments for me is on airplanes. There are no calls to answer, nowhere to go, minimal email distractions, and I’m gifted with a substantial, uninterrupted block of time. Returning from Europe is especially productive for me—I can accomplish an enormous amount of thinking, planning, and writing during that long stretch in the air.

Another surprisingly effective place is the car dealership while my oil and brakes are being serviced. I simply turn my back to the HGTV “fixer-upper” shows, put my AirPods on noise-canceling mode, and focus on…