Finding Your Flow: The Art of Entering the Creative Zone
Finding Your Flow: The Art of Entering the Creative Zone
Unlocking Deep Focus and Productivity in Your Artistic Pursuits
In the realm of any creative work, there's a coveted state often referred to as "the zone" – a state where time either races by or stands still and you are entirely absorbed in what you're doing.
In this zone, your best work comes to life, a dream state of undistracted focus and productivity. Yet, reaching this state isn't always a given. Over recent years, I've devoted considerable effort to devising a system that helps me find my zone more consistently. Here are some of my findings:
1. The Importance of Large Time Blocks
One fundamental truth about hitting the zone is that it doesn't happen in brief, sporadic intervals. You won’t get there in the 30-minute chunk between two Zoom meetings. It requires extensive, uninterrupted chunks of time. I recommend finding a minimum of three hours to truly immerse myself in the zone.
2. Navigating Distractions: The Creative Swim
Navigating to the zone can be likened to swimming out to the open ocean for snorkeling. The goal is the calm, open waters where you can freely explore. This journey involves awkwardly donning flippers on the shore, plunging into cold waters, and fighting through seaweed and waves.
Similarly, entering the creative zone means pushing through initial awkwardness and distractions to reach a state of deep focus. This process is often daunting, lacking the instant gratification of more straightforward tasks like checking Slack, scrolling through social media, or playing online quizzes.
(Sidebar: While I was making my way to the zone to write this newsletter, I found this fantastic Sporcle Quiz: Is it a Sloth or a Chocolate Croissant?)
The crucial question is how to overcome these hurdles. Many people give up at this stage, doubting their skills or drive. The key is recognizing and accepting this natural resistance to challenging, long-term tasks. Don't berate yourself for lack of focus; instead, acknowledge it, embrace it, and persist until you reach that 'open ocean' of creativity.
3. Making It a Routine
With practice, navigating through this initial resistance becomes easier. Once you've experienced the rewards of reaching and working within the zone, you're more inclined to endure the process again.
I’ve also found that establishing some habits and routines help me get to the zone faster. Here are some habits that work for me.
Clear my desk of clutter
Turn out music and dance around a bit (I work from home)
Get my Slack and Email Inbox to Zero
Turn off notifications
Turn off the internet
Close any unnecessary applications
Slice up some fruit and grab coffee and water
Going through these steps helps eliminate distractions but each new project brings its challenges, like the daunting 'blank page syndrome', but with experience and achieved results, these obstacles become less intimidating.
4. Find Your Ideal Time for Specific Tasks
Discovering my optimal times for creativity was a game-changer. I realized a few years ago that my writing was at its peak early in the morning. Midday works best for me when I'm dealing with visual projects, while late nights are my go-to for exploring unconventional ideas. Another key discovery was that physical movement, like walking or running, sparks my creativity for big, new ideas.
Understanding this rhythm transformed my approach to work and significantly reduced my frustration. I used to berate myself for not being able to write more in the evenings. Now, I've accepted that it simply doesn't suit my creative style.
Conclusion
The essence of this article is to reassure you that struggling to enter your creative groove is a universal experience. It's normal to feel agitated and distracted when starting a project. However, to produce your best work, you must persist through these challenges.
There's no shortcut to the zone. You can’t hop into a human cannon and shoot you out to the open ocean. You must wade through the distractions each time. Remember, this journey is part of the creative process, and you're certainly not alone in it.
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Hello! Michael Tanzillo here. I am the Head of Technical Artists with the Substance 3D Growth team at Adobe. Previously, I was a Senior Artist on animated films at Blue Sky Studios/Disney with credits including three Ice Age movies, two Rios, Peanuts, Ferdinand, Spies in Disguise, and Epic.
In addition to his work as an artist, I am the Co-Author of the book Lighting for Animation: The Visual Art of Storytelling and the Co-Founder of The Academy of Animated Art, an online school that has helped hundreds of artists around the world begin careers in Animation, Visual Effects, and Digital Imaging. I also created The3DArtist.Community and this newsletter.
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