Explores achieving flow state through environment, tools, and AI-enhanced workflows for writing, drawing, and coding, highlighting AI’s role in sustaining creativity.

I’ve been experiencing a lot of flow state recently. I’ve read Deep Work by Cal Newport and recently came across an article by Greg Isenberg on why flow matters—especially for Founders and Creatives.

For a while, my personal preferences have been:

  • Environment – Coffee shops, bookstores, or open spaces and certainly not my desk from where I take meetings
  • Music – Instrumental or Bollywood party beats
  • Time of Day – Early mornings, often before
  • Paper and Pens – Gel pens in a few different colors

While these traditional preferences help set the stage, I’ve noticed something new—an AI effect that’s enhancing the experience across the three main types of creative work I do:

  • Writing – Obsidian + ChatGPT (especially Canvas mode)
  • Drawing – Excalidraw and Eraser (visual thinking)
  • Coding – Cursor (agentic coding)

What’s surprised me most is the impact of these AI tools with chat-based UX. Two big shifts:

  1. I get into flow state sooner
  2. I stay in flow state longer

And it’s making me wonder—
Is it because I’m just talking to myself in zen mode? 🙂

Flow State