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Ask HN: How do you get and stay in the "zone"?

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Re: Ask HN: How do you get and stay in the "zone"?

#41

Post by andrewl »

snide wrote: post #40
malanj wrote: post #35

I'd highly recommend that you research "Flow": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology) . There's a great book by Csíkszentmihályi on the topic also called "Flow". Basically Csíkszentmihályi figured out what the "zone" actually is, what stimulates it and how it leads to productivity and happiness.

I've heard this guy on NPR and other radio programs promoting his book. While I find the subject fascinating I get distracted by his marketing buzzspeak and branding. Specifically that he dubs his concept "Flow" when it's been more commonly known as "in the zone" for decades. I could come to no reasoning other than his need for a new brandable term. Not a big deal I guess, but overall undermined the work to me. Havin…

I don't know if the term flow came before in the zone, but it has been in use for decades. Csikszentmihalyi published a book called Beyond Boredom and Anxiety: Experiencing Flow in Work and Play in 1975.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get and stay in the "zone"?

#42

Post by user24 »

niuzeta wrote: post #10

When I was in university I had a serious problem with concentration and being "in-and-out" of the zone. So for two years I made an effort to have something chewing in my mouth(started with candies, then pen, and after a couple of unfortunate blasting incidents-coffee stirring rods) whenever I was 'in the zone' or about to be. After a while, I've been conditioned to be "in the zone" on cue by chewing on a coffee stirr…

> A sad side-effect was that now I cannot seem to have meals without being mentally engaged - be it reading or conversing.

I love it; side effects of life hacking. Nice tip though, I might try that.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get and stay in the "zone"?

#43

Post by snide »

andrewl wrote: post #41
snide wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've heard this guy on NPR and other radio programs promoting his book. While I find the subject fascinating I get distracted by his marketing buzzspeak and branding. Specifically that he dubs his concept "Flow" when it's been more commonly known as "in the zone" for decades. I could come to no reasoning other than his need for a new brandable term. Not a big deal I guess, but overall undermined the work to me. Havin…

I don't know if the term flow came before in the zone , but it has been in use for decades. Csikszentmihalyi published a book called Beyond Boredom and Anxiety: Experiencing Flow in Work and Play in 1975.

Thanks for the response. I'll check the book out.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get and stay in the "zone"?

#44

Post by gtirloni »

snide wrote: post #40
malanj wrote: post #35

I'd highly recommend that you research "Flow": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology) . There's a great book by Csíkszentmihályi on the topic also called "Flow". Basically Csíkszentmihályi figured out what the "zone" actually is, what stimulates it and how it leads to productivity and happiness.

I've heard this guy on NPR and other radio programs promoting his book. While I find the subject fascinating I get distracted by his marketing buzzspeak and branding. Specifically that he dubs his concept "Flow" when it's been more commonly known as "in the zone" for decades. I could come to no reasoning other than his need for a new brandable term. Not a big deal I guess, but overall undermined the work to me. Havin…

It's unimportant if it's called "flow" or "in the zone".

I'm midway through that book and I find the way he explains it in clear terms actually something very beneficial to how I'm evaluating my experience. I haven't noticed anything "buzzwordy" about it. So far it's one of the books I've highlighted the most and that, in my book, is a good sign. I highly recommend it to any not only wanting to "get in the zone" but understand what that means for your quality of life.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get and stay in the "zone"?

#45

Post by a3voices »

Arjuna wrote: post #39

In my experience, the secret is highly correlated to the preparation that I do before the work even begins . What this means is practicing a daily combination of correct eating, rigorous exercise and quality sleep. With these elements in harmony and alignment, I am able to bring it. I recommend a morning yoga routine [1]. This will clear the mind, revitalize the body and set the ground-work and tempo for a fantastic…

Going on a walk outside in the morning like I do is probably better exercise than yoga.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get and stay in the "zone"?

#46

Post by Karunamon »

ranebo wrote: post #26

Different things work for different people but I'll throw my techniques into the ring. I have worked from home for the last 10 years so some of these won't be suitable for a corporate environment. - Start immediately, as soon as you get to your work environment. For me that means no breakfast, no coffee etc... until one function/problem/failing unit test/something is done. Since I'm at home when I wake up I get dress…
You have no idea how much I wish that first one would work for me. We've got a very dysfunctional 30 minutes status meeting (legacy of a long-since moved on manager) every freakin' morning which could just as easily be handled via email.

The first hour of each day is basically wasted - the first half hour nobody's going to start something because they'll get interrupted half an hour later, and the meeting itself accomplishes nothing except sapping any motivation the participants might have arrived to work with.
Music is usually my go-to. The Music For Programming series is very nice for the purpose, very calm, ambient type stuff.

http://musicforprogramming.net

Re: Ask HN: How do you get and stay in the "zone"?

#47

Post by arca_vorago »

I call it "my groove" or "plugged-in", and it's not something I can force. I notice it generally involves two things, the first being the standard from most replies, which is music, and the second is that I am working on a problem that I enjoy working on or if I'm not enjoying it I see the problem as a challenge. If I am failing at making progress though, it will quickly fall through, it's the momentum of being awesome that compounds. The same is true in the games I play to let off steam.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get and stay in the "zone"?

#48

Post by gabemart »

ranebo wrote: post #26

Different things work for different people but I'll throw my techniques into the ring. I have worked from home for the last 10 years so some of these won't be suitable for a corporate environment. - Start immediately, as soon as you get to your work environment. For me that means no breakfast, no coffee etc... until one function/problem/failing unit test/something is done. Since I'm at home when I wake up I get dress…

> If the environment is noisy and headphones are necessary, music without lyrics. I tend to like trance or orchestral movie and game soundtracks.

I'll take this opportunity to plug my ambient noise generator:

http://asoftmurmur.com

There are other non-music options too:

http://coffitivity.com

http://noisli.com

http://rainycafe.com

http://mynoise.net <- very customizable. Great for enthusiasts

Re: Ask HN: How do you get and stay in the "zone"?

#49

Post by irickt »

snide wrote: post #40
malanj wrote: post #35

I'd highly recommend that you research "Flow": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology) . There's a great book by Csíkszentmihályi on the topic also called "Flow". Basically Csíkszentmihályi figured out what the "zone" actually is, what stimulates it and how it leads to productivity and happiness.

I've heard this guy on NPR and other radio programs promoting his book. While I find the subject fascinating I get distracted by his marketing buzzspeak and branding. Specifically that he dubs his concept "Flow" when it's been more commonly known as "in the zone" for decades. I could come to no reasoning other than his need for a new brandable term. Not a big deal I guess, but overall undermined the work to me. Havin…

The original book is without merketing speak. It is a report on his psychological research and is detailed and inspiring. In later years he has "expanded the franchise" to more hyped products.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get and stay in the "zone"?

#50

Post by fistofjohnwayne »

What I do seems a little different than most of the answers here.

First, I take the normal step of laying out the tasks for the day into small chunks: bugs, pieces of a feature, whatever. I put them in a format that I can easily check off as I work.

Once I'm ready to work I put my over-ear headphones on and crank up something with a beat. It needs to be loud enough that it's all I can hear. I use a standing desk which means...

I start to dance around a little. It looks something like this, only less cool: http://youtu.be/jECu2MZsrmE?t=16m50s

I'm not sure why this works for me. I could speculate about my mind/body getting into at rhythm so that even when I break focus on a task to wait for a compile or a test I'm able to jump right back in without... Missing a beat.

As I check off the tasks I prepared I feel more like I'm shouting for the DJ to play one more song than a dude working to complete tasks for his corporate overlords. I only discovered this about myself in the last few months when I switched to a standing desk. Changed my life!

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