Richard Stephens, senior lecturer in psychology at Keele University, talks of the importance of the “flow state”.
“Psychological flow is this state that we can get in when you’re on a roll or you’re in the zone, you’ve been totally absorbed in what you’re doing,” he explains.
To enter flow state, your task needs to be “enough of a challenge to engage us, but not too much of a challenge to stress us out”.
It applies to driving too, he says. “Sometimes the speed limit might feel a bit slow for the road you’re on, and you might feel a bit under-challenged. And there’s a temptation [to] put your foot down.
“In a flow analogy, what you’re doing is you’re increasing the challenge a little bit to get more into that sweet flow spot and a more enjoyable experience.”
But he argues that drivers can help themselves enter that “flow state” while sticking to 20mph. He suggests listening to something stimulating, or even turning driving into a game.
“The car I drive has a display that encourages eco-driving,” he says. “It encourages you to not accelerate too sharply, not break too harshly, and things like that. That sort of gamification of the driving experience can add elements that would bring flow in without changing the speed that you’re driving.”