The Top 7 Ways Any Creative Can Enter a State of Flow, According to Research

Written by: Ashley Lewis

Flowwwwwwww state… such a seemingly illusive ideal for creatives 🎨

Have you ever experienced a state of flow? Flow is ultimately where you can freely express yourself, as if in a peaceful, hypnotic state and loose track of time and your surroundings. It brings joy and ease to any project. The most authentic art AND the best creative experience that artists have is derived from an exciting & authentic state of creative flow.

There is an incredible amount of neuroscience behind flow (check out this article from NPR, there are so many others!) As an artist, it's a wonderful dream to be able to experience that all the time. It might even make you wonder as I have– is there a proven way to harness this state of mind for future use??

The good news– YES, my dear creative. There is indeed!

To achieve a flow state of mind, artists need to do three things frequently: clear their minds, engage in both relaxing and novel activities, and process major events, so there are no mental blockages to the flow of their creativity. 

The list I’ve compiled below offers seven, research proven ways to do these three things. 🌊

1. Free Writing ✍️

Nearly every morning, I’ve begun scribbling out “morning pages” into my notebook, and I really recommend it. This ritual is a great tool described by artist Julia Cameron in her classic book, The Artist’s Way, as a practice of dedicating time for 3 pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing every morning. 

That might sound daunting at first, but it becomes faster and more fluid pretty quickly. It’s the art of simply writing anything that occurs to you during this time. Julia Cameron recommends this practice to loosen up the creative mind. It can also help you practice expressing yourself without editing, and to explore your own inner world.

My favorite children’s book author, Gail Carson Levine, also recommends this. She has a different name for it though, calling it “junk notes” in her book, Writing Magic, as she spends time writing whatever occurs to her to overcome writer’s block. The best part is, there’s zero expectation of what you should write during these times! Just let it flowww…

 

2. Mindfulness 😌

One of the most refreshing parts of creativity, for any artist, is learning to stop, notice, and appreciate beauty. Give yourself frequent permission to slow down and without judgement, simply notice…

• the little things you see around you
• the sound of construction, wind, or birds outside
• the rough, silky, soft, or scratchy texture of your clothes
• the smell of spices (or burnt popcorn) wafting from the kitchen
• the taste of the pickle compared to the sweetness of the raisins in your lunch 

Noticing helps ground your thoughts to the present from other flighty concerns. This kind of relaxing mindfulness reduces stress, keeps you present, and begins to remove the barriers to creative flow. Check out more on the link between mindfulness and creative flow from Psychology Today in this article.

3. Artist Dates 📅

By artist dates, I am not talking about dating, or any other kind of regular date. Artist dates, as specifically described by Julia Cameron in the book mentioned above, are intentional times to nurture your creativity. 

They are meant to inspire you. 

Artists dates are usually done alone. They are scheduled weekly and can be playful, simple, or take a spontaneous turn, but they must inspire and thrill the artist in YOU. 

Some examples: 

• Take a trip to an art gallery. 
• Walk in the park and casually photograph nature. 
• Grab cheap putty and glitter from the dollar tree and sculpt your pet, because it’s ok to reignite your imagination and act childish sometimes ;)
• Plan a drive through a scenic area and stop anywhere along the way to get out and paint “en plein air.”
• Hike through the woods, and find a nice spot to scribble some poetry
• Walk down memory lane and visit your old stomping grounds. 
• Take a dramatic photograph of a memorable place or a specific feature of that place
• Go shopping and grab super random ingredients to make a crazy meal with. 
• There are no specific rules for your date. Just immerse yourself in what inspires a childlike sense of wonder. Oh, and don’t stand yourself up ;) 

 

4. An Exciting Environment💡

It helps to find a place to do art that lets your mind breathe and wander. Each person is different– some like a clean, simple space for their minds to breathe, while others like having their art supplies out and easily accessible so they don’t feel frustrated trying to find things. Whatever it looks like for you, when it comes to an art space, focus on…

• Comfortability first! (As long as you are super comfortable, it’s easier to express yourself and let art flow)
• Limit Distractions (Find a location with limited distraction and make any necessary boundaries so you can stay in “flow mode.” Whether it’s finding a secluded place in your home to focus or communicating early on with the people in your household what you need and when you’ll be done, protect your peace so you can stay in calm and productive flow-mode)
• Easy, stress-free access to supplies (Many artists suggest using clear containers and open jars, bins, or caddy carts to easily store and find their supplies)
• Good lighting (I recommend working near a window, or outside for optimal, natural lighting. In the winter, working as close as you can to natural lighting or using enough lamps will suffice)
• Organization (This looks different for everyone, but using lots of bins and compartments for your art supplies will limit the moments of “OMG, why can't I find my scissors??”)
• Inspiration (Design for yourself a little inspiration station– either a box, portable bag, stationary shelf, or bulletin board. Fill it with quotes, tickets, magazine cutouts, photographs, notes, memorabilia, or random finds that ignite your imagination.)

I do my best to practice each of these, but especially the last one, because no matter where I am, keeping a collection of inspiring finds on hand increases the odds of getting to a flow state.

5. Music🎙️

Music evokes:

• Passionate emotions
• Mental images of nature (with recorded nature sounds)
• The whole vibe of a crowd audibly screaming at a live concert performance
• Memories of the “good ‘ol days” from a throw back song
• Feelings of grief & loss from a slow, folk song
• Comfort from lyrics in the midst of a personal struggle 

It's a tool that can rid artists of a creative block in these ways, and it’s also a great method for focusing. Sometimes jazz, folk, classical, instrumental, or reggae also help me stay focused and meditative with my art, thus music not only releases me of creative blocks, but encourages a natural state of flow. 

 

6. Repetition 🚲

This one is highly underrated! Of course, putting in the reps to become masterful in any trade will help fulfill your goals, allow for increased ease with your craft, and instate a sense of flow… 

BUT! Did you know that you can also relax your brain and slow your thoughts with ANY kind of healthy repetition? 

One method of art therapy, called bilateral drawing, helps heal the brain and inspire a state of flow, because to do it, you must use both your hands to draw at the exact same time. This practice uses both sides of the brain to focus, heal, and instate a sense of calm. Various forms of similar repetition are a good workout for your brain (and sometimes body too!) such as dribbling a ball back and forth between your hands, listening to the rhythms and repetitions in music, painting everyday, jumping rope, cycling, writing everyday, etc. 

Trying these repetitive healthy activities can guide your mind and spirit into a state of frequent flow. Have you noticed whenever you go on “auto pilot” it’s because you’ve practiced repeatedly, over and over a task until you forget where you are and lose track of time? That's flow! And it is good for your brain and can reduce mental blockages and open your mind up to creative ideas.

7. Establish a Daily Creative Habit- Commit to an Artistic Challenge 🏋️

Setting aside committed time for a daily art practice can reduce overthinking and stress, as well as provide you an opportunity for intrinsic motivation. 

Because a state of flow is intrinsically rewarding, a regular practice will allow you as an artist to experience a flow state more regularly, encouraging a joyful continued habit. Research tells us that a habit is built after 28 consecutive days of repetition, thus committing to an art challenge will help you foster greater skill, deepen artistic enjoyment, and offer a more frequent flow state.

Personally, I’m committed to painting & writing every day. I wanted to share my recent goal so that hopefully you’ll take the challenge and be inspired and equipped to increase your creative flow, and joy. Right now, my goal is to paint for 30 minutes everyday AND freewrite everyday for at least 15 minutes for 28 days, so that I can overcome creative barriers, develop my skills, relax, and experience a healing state of flow. If you’d like to join me in beginning a fresh new creative habit, let me know personally, or in the comments what media type you are using and any details about your commitment you’d like me to know. 

Art is so much better when done together in community. I'm thinking about hosting a virtual art club or art classes in the future, so I'd love to officially meet you then if I haven't yet! ❤️🤗🎨 Thanks for reading.

Until the next brushstroke, 

Ashley @ Made to Create 🎨