What does flow state or in the zone mean?

flow state blog post image by blue green girl creations

What if I told you that finding your flow state or being in the zone, means finding happiness? What if I told you that this state of mind is all inclusive? Anybody can experience this feeling – average Joe, artist or athlete.

To find out if this is possible, we need to go over a few concepts. It is necessary to define just what flow state is. You will want to know what it feels like when you are in this amazing state of mind. Not to mention, just what are the perks of flow?

What is Flow State?

Flow State is a euphoric, losing track of time feeling. People get into this state of mind when they are performing an activity that they love. However, to evoke this sensation, they need certain conditions aligned and challenge their skillset just enough. 

Who experiences Flow State?

Any person can achieve this sense of mind, while performing any task. But despite that, we most commonly think of artists with flow: visual, musical, performance and writers. Athletes call state of flow, ‘in the zone.’ Runners, surfers and elite sports people all strive to achieve this state of mind. An area that we would not commonly associate with flow state, is the workplace. Many entrepreneurs talk about losing track of time while developing new, exciting business concepts. The holistic approach to modern business is to employ flow state experts, advising their companies in good flow state practices. Journalist and businessman, Steven Kotler has written many books on flow state and also heads up a successful company that advises individuals and companies. 

Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo

When did people start experiencing Flow State?

While positive psychologist; Mihaly Csikszeutmihalyi was the first person to conduct extensive global studies on the state of flow, this state of mind has been occurring since the beginning of mankind. It was reported that Michelangelo worked for days without breaks, painting the Sistine Chapel and Einstein would labour comparably while developing his famous concepts and theories.

What does flow state feel like?

According to Professor Csikszentmihalyi, flow state is identified by seven qualities.

 

1.  You are focus heightened and fully immersed in your pursuit

2.  You have a feeling of ecstasy or happiness after you come out of this state of mind

3.  You feel inner clarity

4.  While your task is challenging, you know it is doable

5.  You have a feeling of serenity and you are beyond your ego

6.  There is a feeling of timelessness or loss of self-consciousness

7.  There is an intrinsic feeling of motivation.

Natalie Blackman, artist for Blue Green Girl Creations in the studio

What does flow state feel like for me as an artist?

Before I was an artist, I loved sport. My training enabled me to achieve runners high or as they call it, ‘in the zone.’ This feeling of contentment was a state of mind and an experience I continued to strive for in the years to come. I had set a goal of running a 5 km race, which I had never achieved. I was previously a sprinter.  So for six months, I gradually pushed my capabilities, until becoming comfortable running the distance.  Sometimes I would experience being ‘in the zone.’ This state would give me a sense that the training run flew dramatically fast, I was hovering above the ground and I didn’t feel pain or fatigue. What a feeling! I am grateful that I get to feel a similar state of mind while I paint and create. In the future, this is something I can continue through my elderly years.

I feel that your mental health is reliant of finding a passion or activity that you can lose yourself in. When I experience flow state I have a wave of serenity comfort me like a blanket. The heightened level of focus gives me refuge from my daily stressors of life. Now that my art practise involves starting the day off with creating before anyone stirs from their bed, I am stronger. Due to this time of creating, I can face the before school stresses with a better level of calmness. Usually this is the case. ;) I implore you to encourage your children to find their thing! It could be drawing, running, swimming, playing music, playing chess to name a few of many options. They will thank you one day.  

With my art practise as an artist for Blue Green Girl Creations, flow state feels very similar to these characteristics for me. See some of more artwork created in the flow, here.  My most relevant qualities of flow is the immense feelings of happiness, pushing myself to extend my skills and the focus in my artwork. As Steven Kotler spoke about in his 2019, Ted Talk (How to get into the flow state), scientists are studying about the prolonged effects that flow state has for creativity. They feel that as a by-product of experiencing flow state, it encourages our minds to continue to think creatively in the days beyond this experience. I feel this is absolutely true. As well as flow state being very additive, the more I experience flow state, the more heightened my creativity becomes.

painting is my drug of choice by blue green girl creations

Why do people want to achieve flow state?

1.  Happy Chemicals

We have been talking about flow state evoking a feeling of ecstasy. How does this break down and in physiological terms what does this mean? From scientific studies, they discovered that in the flow state the prefrontal cortex (front part of the brain that is responsible for complex decision making, long term planning and concept of time) is not functioning and the only time when five neurochemicals are produced. You will recognise some of these pleasure chemicals being; dopamine, endorphins and serotonin of the five. No wonder it feels habit forming! 

2.  Complete focus in your task or passion

Totally immersing yourself in your pursuit delivers many positive outcomes.

3.  Learning and increasing your skills

In order to go into flow state you have to be doing a skill that is just above your skillset but doable. I will be talking about how to get into flow state more extensively in my next blog. 

4.  Increased productivity

When the concept of time disappears, you are able to achieve a lot more work than you perceive in a shorter amount of time.

5.  Temporarily stops feelings of anxiety, pain and stress

As the flow state temporarily shuts down the prefrontal cortex, troubles are put on hold. Furthermore, some athletes report extra strength and endurance in this stage of flow.

happy person with balloons

As discussed in the blog, being in flow state does in fact induce happiness. The feeling of ecstasy comes from all those wonderful neurochemicals released into your brain.   Also, having the ability to experience this state of mind is not limited to a certain person or race. I feel that everyone’s ability to survive and excel in life could greatly benefit from an activity that induces flow state.  Whether your pursuits are physical, intellectual or creative, flow state is well worth striving for. What is your activity that creates flow for you?

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