In
positive psychology,
flow, also known as
the zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In essence, flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does. Named by
Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, the concept has been widely referenced across a variety of fields (and has an especially big recognition in
occupational therapy), though has existed for thousands of years under other guises, notably in some
Eastern religions. Achieving flow is often colloquially referred to as
being in the zone.