Play despite sickness

I've been sick all weekend- really from Thursday until even now as I write this. Being sick is really not much fun, and it's hard to play when you're sick. But, I also don't feel like I didn't play at all this weekend. I finished my book Insurgent and started a new book. I watched a lot of TV on DVD, which is one of my favorite things to do.

This activity actually made me think about flow. I easily lose track of time when I watch TV on DVD. There are no commercials, I can hit "play all" so I don't even have to control the remote, and the next thing you know, I've watched 3 hours of television! (Don't judge me!) This made me wonder if I'm experiencing flow, or if it's more just "zoning out", and what the difference is between the two.

Looking at this diagram that Lina found, I would say that when I am watching TV it's in the "Relaxation" zone. I definitely have the skill level needed to watch, and the challenge level is low as I watch TV that doesn't require a whole lot of thinking. So there's definitely a difference, I think, between experiencing flow v. zoning out or relaxation when watching TV.

But this then made me think about reading Insurgent. My inclination is to say that I'm experiencing flow, because reading is a more cognitively taxing activity for me than reading. However, reading a book like Insurgent doesn't present much of a challenge for me, as it's writing on about an eighth grade level. But I don't necessarily feel like it's totally relaxation, as the challenge level isn't too low. So perhaps, according to this diagram, I'm in the control zone. I'm not sure though, and still feel like it is flow- I am enjoying the experience, and I feel like I'm acting in complete control. According to Dr. C, flow is a “Holistic sensation that people feel when they act with total involvement” (pg. 36).

Perhaps there is an element of flow that really comes down to the person's opinion/feeling about the experience, and not just the challenge and skill required.

I love flow.