<p>Being deeply immersed in a task is called <em>flow</em>. The term was introduced by
Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, a hungarian psychologist. Csíkszentmihályi spent decades on researching this phenomenon and I can highly recommend reading his book: <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=QVjPsd1UukEC" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Flow - The Psychology of Optimal Experience</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-14T18:45:10.233Z
2021-10-14T18:45:10.233Z
Stefan Weber
<blockquote>
<p>“When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity.” -Albert Einstein</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It's no secret that Elon Musk puts a tremendous number of hours into his work.</p>
<p>It is also said, &quot;Newton, Einstein, Tesla, and few other great scientists were putting too much time in search of truth&quot;. As if they were enjoying their time, the work they were doing was like fun to them.
Similarly, when I study math sometimes I need someone to remind me &quot;It's time to show you're hungry&quot;.</p>
<p>It thus seems like our state of mind can change our perception of time, <a href="https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/5656/can-time-be-perceived-differently-depending-on-a-users-feeling">as pointed out in a previous question on this site</a>.</p>
<p>What can make someone so absorbed in their work that they forget about food?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-07T15:18:30.593Z
I suppose flow theory is a good theory about this.
Ooker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-07T17:40:19.613Z
@Ooker If flow theory would not be your comment but a well explained answer I would accept it as an answer. //I read flow theory//
Darshan P
<perception><philosophy-of-mind><time>
The perception of time of workaholics
Darshan P
# The perception of time of workaholics

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-10-07)

> “When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity.” -Albert Einstein

It's no secret that Elon Musk puts a tremendous number of hours into his work.

It is also said, "Newton, Einstein, Tesla, and few other great scientists were putting too much time in search of truth". As if they were enjoying their time, the work they were doing was like fun to them.
Similarly, when I study math sometimes I need someone to remind me "It's time to show you're hungry".

It thus seems like our state of mind can change our perception of time, [as pointed out in a previous question on this site](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/5656/can-time-be-perceived-differently-depending-on-a-users-feeling).

What can make someone so absorbed in their work that they forget about food?

**Tags:** perception, philosophy-of-mind, time

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I suppose flow theory is a good theory about this.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 If flow theory would not be your comment but a well explained answer I would accept it as an answer. //I read flow theory//  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-10-14. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Being deeply immersed in a task is called *flow*. The term was introduced by
Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, a hungarian psychologist. Csíkszentmihályi spent decades on researching this phenomenon and I can highly recommend reading his book: [Flow - The Psychology of Optimal Experience](https://books.google.com/books?id=QVjPsd1UukEC)


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