The Downside of "Flow" Experiences

 Tonight, I did become quite involved in different projects: a book review in addition to designing a lesson plan for my upcoming class. There are times when, in the process of getting absorbed in the flow of things, I started to sense my own body as being somewhat unreal, as well as identity. I consider this to be the downside of flow: the sense that one is psychically drifting somewhat without reflecting on the value of what one is doing as well as the purpose. While it can sometimes be valuable to have these flow experiences, a reflective component also seems necessary, or else it becomes another set of  wandering thoughts.
   We have sometimes heard the argument that "getting lost in one's work" is a good way to avoid unpleasant or uncomfortable feelings, such as that of not having a sense of direction or purpose. But is it really healthy to do so?  It's a bit like watching television: I surf from channel to channel, hardly cognizant that I have in fact drifted off into a dream that everyone shares through this electronic box. Soon enough, the time has past without me being aware of it. Such experiences, of course, don't qualify as "flow" experiences, because there is hardly any challenge or personal growth to them. However, even actual flow experiences can just be elegant forms of distraction, which delay a person from facing other challenges in life. It seems important to be aware of why one is engaging in a certain kind of work, rather than thinking that the smoothness with which one engages it automatically confers value upon it.
   Sometimes flow experiences can be healthy ways of getting things done. When I am at work, I often tend to start my day with fairly simple and fast projects, by way of knowing that I have accomplished a certain amount before the end of the morning. I then tackle more challenging problems in the afternoon when I am much more energized to do so. But this also has to be done with a certain awareness: it's not a matter of putting off what's difficult or challenging to the last minute, but rather organizing one's work effectively according to what can get done quickly and expediently.