The Challenge
Shrinking teams, rising student needs
University support teams today face a perfect storm: Budgets are shrinking and staff layoffs are rampant, just as student needs are soaring.
Budget and staff cuts
Nearly 1/4 UK universities are cutting staff. Around 10k job losses were feared in early 2025 alone, leaving remaining wellbeing teams overstretched and emotionally drained.
Mental health & drop-outs
Research suggests 80% to 95% of students procrastinate on coursework, 60%+ meet criteria for at least one mental health issue and drop-out rates have spiked.
Rise of AI
With 88% of students admitting to using AI tools for assignments support staff must find ways to keep students engaged in genuine learning rather than relying on shortcuts.
(Guardian)
ADHD assessment limbo
Thousands of students are in limbo waiting for ADHD assessments, often for 1–2 years or more leaving them without formal support in the interim.
The consequences of inaction are severe
📉 Academic performance drops
📈 Demand for counseling spikes
🔃 Institutional retention and reputation suffer
University support teams are expected to do more with less.
Traditional study skills workshops and counseling help, but many students and staff – especially those with ADHD or executive function challenges – still struggle day-to-day to stay focused and motivated through long stretches of self-guided work.
There’s an urgent need for a scalable, cost-effective solution that can bolster student focus and well-being – one that lightens the load on support teams rather than adding to it.
The solution
Meet FLOWN – Your scalable focus & wellbeing platform
FLOWN is an online, science-backed focus platform that enables students (and faculty) to get more done with less stress – without requiring extensive staff time or university resources to maintain.
It’s like a virtual library and study coach combined, available 24/7.
FLOWN is helping thousands of students to find feel good focus.
We've directly partnered with 5 leading institutions (including Imperial College London, and the University of Michigan) , and students from 300+ Universities already use the platform regularly.
FLOWN is the game changer for student focus
With FLOWN, students gain access to live focus sessions and a supportive community that helps them beat procrastination, find structure in unstructured study time, and build healthy work habits wherever they are.
What brings them to FLOWN
Manage focus difficulties, including ADHD and executive dysfunction, which impact productivity and academic confidence.
Loss of motivation during unstructured study or long-term projects.
Isolation and distraction while juggling academic work with other responsibilities.
What they use FLOWN for
Tackle everything from writing dissertations, essays, and theses to completing Master’s coursework and hitting PhD milestones.
Stay focused on reading, research, note-taking, exam preparation, and all stages of academic writing.
Supports academic admin tasks like grading, reference checking, and planning presentations.
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66% neurospicy
over 2/3 of student members identify as neurodivergent
Based on survey responses from FLOWN’s student community
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120% more focus
productivity uplift seen in students
FLOWN sessions drive higher productivity in students versus solo study
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12+ hours
of active sessions a week on average
Students are spending a 3rd of a working week actively on FLOWN
FLOWN is based in behavioural science
Proven neuroscience-based methods are built into every focus session, to trigger deep focus.
BODY DOUBLING: Working “alongside” others even virtually, which activates mirror neurons and focus centers
MONOTASKING: Focusing on one task at a time reduces context switching
THE HAWTHORN EFFECT: Knowing others are present boosts performance and accountability
TIME BLOCKING/TIME BOXING: Time-bound work sprints structure the day and tackles time-blindness
IMPLEMENTATION INTENTIONS: Stating goals to others increases likelihood of achievement
How focus sessions work
FLOWN provides the external structure and positive peer pressure that students need in remote or independent study.
1. Set your intentions
Share your work goals for the session for extra accountability.
2. Time to focus
Work silently alongside other people in distraction-free focus.
3. Celebrate your progress
Share how you did, celebrate your success.
4. Recharge
Take a short guided or solo break to recharge, and repeat the cycle.
FLOWN provides a virtual study community
Isolation and loneliness can worsen focus and motivation. FLOWN instantly gives students a community of peers and professionals to study and work alongside virtually.
🎯 150+ hours of live focus sessions a week to suit all schedules and working styles
🎯 24/7 always-on co-working room to join and leave whenever you need focus
🎯 Accountability cohorts that run for 6–10 weeks, blending coaching and education to build sustainable study habits.
✅ Dramatically improves focus abilities for those with ADHD and other NDs, anxiety, burnout, stress, menopause and other mental health issues
✅ Significantly reduces tendencies to procrastinate or get distracted whilst studying
✅ Increases sense of human connection while studying remotely, reduces loneliness
Immediate support for ADHD
FLOWN is a non-medical intervention and support system* for students with ADHD or suspected ADHD. It works both before and after an ADHD diagnosis, helping neurodiverse students build routines and confidence in their ability to study.
*Approved Access to Work ADHD support tool by the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions
With FLOWN students & staff get...
🎯 A supportive online community - 1/3 of members identify as ADHD
🎯 Unlimited body doubling for those struggling with focus
🎯 ADHD-specific chat groups to connect and share insights
🎯 Accredited 1:1 ADHD coaching available via the FLOWN platform
🎯 A trove of ADHD articles, resources and practical insights
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
“I have ADHD and I'm studying for my Masters. The structure of the focus sessions helps me start, and seeing others working is super motivating. I never thought virtual co-working would work—but it really, really does.”
— Sophie R., MSc Psychology Student, King’s College London
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
“I'm in my final year of university and FLOWN has genuinely transformed how I study. I used to get so distracted and would end up cramming everything last minute, but now I use focus sessions daily to keep myself accountable.”
— Hannah L., Undergrad English Literature, University of Manchester
The results speak for themselves
A 2022 study by the University of East London’s School of Psychology found:
95.7% of FLOWN users reported improved focus
94.6% experienced increased productivity
85.8% saw improved work quality
93.5% noted better mood and mindset
87% experienced reduced stress
Nearly 50% of participants were neurodivergent, primarily with ADHD
FLOWN doesn’t just help students focus – it changes how they work, think, and feel about study
FLOWN is a low-overhead, high-impact addition to student support
FLOWN gave Imperial smarter focus support
670+ Imperial students and staff logged 5,000+ focus hours
92% of surveyed users reported improved productivity
81% said FLOWN improved their overall university experience.
“There’s been a complete shift in my productivity since joining FLOWN. Things I’d been putting off for months were completed in a few Deep Dives." – Taiwo K., PhD Student, Dept of Bioengineering
FLOWN turned PhD stress into progress
A cohort of 50 PhD students logged over 760 hours of deep work
Completed 2 Deep Work Coaching program cohorts (3 more scheduled)
Reported greater clarity, confidence and a renewed writing rhythm
“The coaching program helped me develop writing rituals, learn how to recharge, and access FLOWN’s platform in a way that really supports my process." – Roni B., PhD Student
Workshops to supercharge student focus
FLOWN partnered with Oxford to offer three practical workshops as part of the Digital Skills training series
- Avoiding digital burnout
- Combatting isolation when working independently
- Productivity for the long haul
“I was surprised how effective it was. I got more done in 25 minutes than I had all morning.”
3 ways FLOWN integrates with your institution
We understand that universities need solutions that are easy to implement and scale. FLOWN offers flexible ways to bring “feel-good focus” to your students and staff.
Platform access for all
Scales effortlessly: Supports 10 or 1,000 students with no extra admin, staffing, or complex software
Support when and where it matters: With 150+ hours of live focus sessions weekly and 24/7 on-demand access, students get help at any time, from anywhere.
Create a virtual student community: You get access to a private virtual co-working space, to create more connections and accountability.
All of this with zero additional burden on your staff. FLOWN’s team handles onboarding materials, tutorial webinars, and ongoing tech support for students.
Accountability cohorts
Focused-group programs that run for 6–10 weeks, blending coaching and education to build sustainable study habits (5-8 students per group)
A dedicated FLOWN coach facilitates weekly sessions that use neuroscience-backed strategies with practical tools to reduce procrastination, build momentum.
Especially impactful for students with ADHD or executive function challenges who benefit from structure, rhythm, and peer accountability.
Cohorts can run virtually and require minimal coordination from your side, yet they deliver the feeling of a personalized coaching program.
Workshops & training
60-90 min engaging, science-backed, and practical sessions for both students and staf.
Designed to shift study behavior, build awareness, and introduce practical tools for sustained focus and wellbeing.
Topics include digital wellbeing, immersive body doubling tasters, and our multi-session ADHD Focus Program.
Delivered to universities including Oxford and multiple corporate partners.
Seamless implementation: FLOWN handles onboarding and support
Free sign-up for all students and staff is provided via a custom link (if desired, we can set up SSO or domain-restricted sign-ups for security.)
There’s no complex software to install. If you can stream video, you can use FLOWN.
We collaborate with your academic support and IT teams to promote adoption and ensure students get the most from the platform.
Commonly, universities start with a pilot program, for example, a 3-6 month trial where a cohort of students gets access, allowing you to gather feedback and results
FLOWN’s team handles onboarding materials, tutorial webinars, and ongoing tech support for students.
In short, it’s a low-overhead solution for you – we handle the heavy lifting, and your students get the help when and where they need it.
Some of our case studies
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FLOWN turned PhD stress into progress
Challenge
PhD students in the Higher Education Studies program at Michigan University faced a common academic dilemma: Long stretches of self-directed research, with minimal structure and limited accountability, left many struggling with motivation, procrastination, and burnout.
Advisors and peer groups offered guidance – but students needed more:
A consistent bridge between planning and doing
Support through high-stakes milestones like dissertation deadlines, funding applications, and job market prep
Sustainable tools for managing attention, motivation, and workload over multiple semesters
Solution
Michigan partnered with FLOWN to provide to provide a tailored support system for feel good focus.
Deep Work Group Coaching
Small cohorts (5–6 students) led by a dedicated coach over 6–10 weeks
FLOWN’s methodology and tools to overcome procrastination and build positive working habits
Weekly peer and coaching support for accountability and momentum
Unlimited FLOWN Platform access
Unlimited access to FLOWN’s live focus sessions and digital tools, helping students build structure and beat procrastination
Results & Testimonials
Momentum where it matters
50 Michigan University students accessing the FLOWN platform to enjoy focus sessions
760 x hours of additional focus logged
2 cohorts of the Deep Work Coaching program completed, learning repeatable strategies to sustain academic progress
A further 3 cohorts are scheduled as of April 2024, with platform access also to continue
Behavioral transformation
Students reported greater clarity, confidence, and a renewed rhythm in their academic routines
FLOWN became a part of their weekly workflow – not just a one-time fix
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“The coaching program helped me develop writing rituals, learn how to recharge, and access FLOWN’s platform in a way that really supports my process. Carrie’s coaching helped me find a rhythm between work and family. Her support made a tangible difference—and FLOWN gave me a way to keep that structure going.” – Roni B., PhD Student
”The coaching program allows me to arrange my schedule in a personalized manner, allowing work goals to be achieved...and make[s] me reflect on how I can better achieve my goals” – Isabelle E., PhD Student
“I am completing my degree away from campus, so having a predictable and always-on-time group of people to co-work with has been a game changer.” – Elena C., PhD Student
...
FLOWN gave Imperial smarter focus support
Challenge
Imperial College London needed a scalable, cost-efficient solution to support students struggling with:
Focus and executive function
Motivation and procrastination
Neurodivergent needs, especially around ADHD
The academic support teams wanted to do more, with less. So the solution needed to be:
Accessible to all, with no need for formal diagnosis or support plan
Simple to implement and scale, without intensive onboarding
Proven to drive behavior change, not just passive engagement
Solution
FLOWN partnered with Imperial’s Disability Advisory Service to offer:
24/7 remote access to FLOWN’s live focus sessions
Imperial-only co-working rooms for peer-to-peer support
Free, seamless sign-up for all students and staff
Ongoing collaboration with Imperial teams to promote adoption and engagement
The initiative launched in late 2023 and has now run successfully for 2 years, with plans to continue long term.
Results & Testimonials
Widespread impact and adoption
670+ Imperial students and staff actively use FLOWN (as of April 2025)
Over 5,125 focus hours logged
92% of users reported improved productivity
81% felt FLOWN improved their overall Imperial experience
Broad appeal, deep support
Benefited both undergraduate and postgraduate communities
Supported 78 students with ADHD-related needs
Attracted many more who simply needed structure and momentum
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“There’s been a complete shift in my productivity since joining FLOWN. Things I’d been putting off for months were completed in a few Deep Dives. I now have confidence and structure in my day.” – Taiwo K., PhD Student, Dept of Bioengineering
“Being able to work remotely with FLOWN helped me get into the swing of things after the holidays. The SMART goals, accountability, and encouragement are key.” – Dr Ying L., Postdoctoral Research Associate
“Accountability and motivation are two of the hardest challenges as a PhD student. FLOWN helped with both. I love the flexibility and ease of use—even in places where I can’t speak.” – Bethan C., MSc, PhD Candidate, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
...
Workshops to supercharge student focus
The University of Oxford wanted to equip students and staff with strategies to improve digital wellbeing and build sustainable study habits in a hybrid, high-pressure academic environment.
FLOWN partnered with Oxford to offer three practical workshops as part of the Digital Skills training series to be delivered online and in person to staff and students.
Avoiding Digital Burnout: A practical session on how to plan your week to manage time, energy, and screen use—reducing overwhelm and maintaining balance in a digital-first environment.
Combatting Isolation When Working Independently: Exploring how to use online communities and structured virtual spaces to stay focused, accountable, and connected while studying or working alone.
Productivity for the Long Haul: How to build daily routines and implement realistic strategies to help participants finish each day feeling productive, in control, and less depleted.
Across the three workshops, FLOWN engaged c.100 attendees from across Oxford’s student and staff community. 30 participants were also offered three months of free FLOWN membership, giving them the opportunity to embed what they learned.
Results & Testimonials
We run energising, evidence-based workshops that help people find their own rhythm for deep, satisfying work—whatever their role, brain type, or to-do list.
Whether it’s understanding personal focus triggers, designing distraction-proof environments, or exploring the power of body doubling, our sessions combine science, reflection, and practical tools your team can use straight away.
Sessions include:
Discover your focus triggers
Tailor your workspace for flow
Intro to body doubling and co-working
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Post-session feedback from Body doubling taster sessions:
“I’ve never heard of body doubling before, but it clicked straight away. Really powerful.”
“I managed to burn through a list of small tasks to do with project – so much so someone messaged and asked what I'd had for breakfast.”
“I was surprised how effective it was. I got more done in 25 minutes than I had all morning.”
“I got more done than I expected! It gave me a push..”
“Loved this focus time – done 4 tasks without any distractions, felt less stressed about the hard tasks and more confident”
“I ended up working on a different task but still super productive. So much better where when my laptop/phone/watch were in do not disturb, game changer”
Wall of love, more social proof
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
“FLOWN has been a lifeline during my PhD. The isolation of research can be really tough, and having a place to show up, set intentions, and work alongside others—even silently—has helped me stay sane and productive.”
— Dr. Alex M., PhD in Sociology, University of Glasgow
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
“I’ve racked up 50+ sessions on FLOWN and it’s genuinely changing how I approach work and self-care. I normally work at a high volume but at the cost of my wellbeing. FLOWN helps me balance that—especially in the afternoons when my energy dips. The structure and reminders to take breaks, move, and reflect are small but powerful.”
— Lisa C., Faculty Doctoral Programmes & International Partnerships Manager, Liverpool University
"I end up doing so much more..."
Dealing with extended and often lonely periods of self-directed study is a challenge. FLOWN offers an ideal community for those in long term study to network, focus together, and be supported in their work.
“FLOWN has completely changed how I work. A few hours of really meaningful deep work helps me feel like I’m really achieving something. I'm more productive now than I have been for a long time - maybe ever.” — Harri B., University of Cardiff PhD Candidate
Ready to boost your students’ focus and well-being?
Join other forward-thinking institutions (from Imperial College, Michigan University to Oxford) in making focused, productive study a reality for your students.
We’ll work with you to craft a solution – whether it’s a small cohort trial or a full roll-out – that fits your institution’s needs.