2026 · The Attention Economy
Flow State
By Anindita Hingorani · placeholder, awaiting media upload
We observed that people enter their phones with a purpose but lose their attention without ever noticing it go, because nothing in the device signals that a shift has occurred. A task-oriented individual seeks to stay focused and complete what they came to do, yet is hindered by a system that treats every app identically and makes the cost of distraction completely unfelt.
Flow State is a project that reimagines smartphone interaction as a system for visualising attention. Phones today treat every app the same way, the same grid, the same tap, the same ease of access. Moving from a work task into a social media scroll requires no extra effort and leaves no trace, which means attention drains without any signal that it is happening. The problem is not a lack of discipline but a design system that makes attention invisible and depletion effortles
Flow State is a project that reimagines smartphone interaction as a system for visualising attention. Phones today treat every app the same way, the same grid, the same tap, the same ease of access. Moving from a work task into a social media scroll requires no extra effort and leaves no trace, which means attention drains without any signal that it is happening. The problem is not a lack of discipline but a design system that makes attention invisible and depletion effortless.
Flow State responds by making attention depletable and visible. The case features two channels, each allowing water to be the currency that unlocks the phone. Work and productivity apps open with a simple swipe. Distraction apps require a series of tilts first, shifting the drop and surfacing a moment of awareness before access is granted. The tilts also require more water to be used, signaling to the attention being wasted by the decision. By giving attention a physical representation, Flow State helps users recognise when focus is slipping, creating the conditions needed to return to, and stay in, flow state.