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What it feels like to be in the zone as a programmer

dopeboy.github.io

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Re: What it feels like to be in the zone as a programmer

#11

Post by noir_lord »

hacker_9 wrote: post #10
sktrdie wrote: post #4

I get this too, but it's very draining - similar to doing an intensive workout, or given a talk at a conference. The negatives are obvious; less sociable, more easily irritated, wanting to be by yourself. After you've spent a day in the zone, you're not really "party material". The positive (apart from being very productive) is that I use it to get my negative feelings out of the way - anything that is bothering in m…

> Being in the zone is like getting an adrenaline rush Really disagree here, I find it's the total opposite more like a serenity and calmness. I also can get into it easily enough if I sit down with a plan of action and am not just writing code blindly and getting frustrated. If I find I can't enter the 'zone', it's usually because of some distraction (meeting coming up, feeling ill, not happy with the work, noisy op…

I find been in the zone feels a lot like a less intense version of the feeling I get after a really good nights sleep or after a getting back from a hard bike ride and having a shower, it's just a general feeling of wellness.

I also find the zone happens a lot less often doing web dev than it ever did when I did desktop development, the constant scope switches combined with a massive surface means I drop out a lot more often.

Re: What it feels like to be in the zone as a programmer

#12

Post by hacker_9 »

noir_lord wrote: post #11
hacker_9 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Being in the zone is like getting an adrenaline rush Really disagree here, I find it's the total opposite more like a serenity and calmness. I also can get into it easily enough if I sit down with a plan of action and am not just writing code blindly and getting frustrated. If I find I can't enter the 'zone', it's usually because of some distraction (meeting coming up, feeling ill, not happy with the work, noisy op…

I find been in the zone feels a lot like a less intense version of the feeling I get after a really good nights sleep or after a getting back from a hard bike ride and having a shower, it's just a general feeling of wellness. I also find the zone happens a lot less often doing web dev than it ever did when I did desktop development, the constant scope switches combined with a massive surface means I drop out a lot mo…

Yeah instant context switching is a real nightmare for the brain, I find it far easier to get up for ~20 minutes after finshing a task and go outside, before returning and getting on with the next task with my now hopefully clear mind.

Re: What it feels like to be in the zone as a programmer

#15

Post by lanestp »

synthmeat wrote: post #7
sktrdie wrote: post #4

I get this too, but it's very draining - similar to doing an intensive workout, or given a talk at a conference. The negatives are obvious; less sociable, more easily irritated, wanting to be by yourself. After you've spent a day in the zone, you're not really "party material". The positive (apart from being very productive) is that I use it to get my negative feelings out of the way - anything that is bothering in m…

> It comes and goes, with very little control on your behalf. As anecdata makes the data, here's mine - you have a lot of control of it. If you can control your environment (audio, light, temperature, food, exercise, communication, interaction, ...), you can get in the zone too just by virtue of almost exclusively focusing on some type of work you get in the zone for in the first place. Live by code, die by code.

It takes some effort but you can trigger the zone. I put on my favorite programming song (looped). Turn on “Freedom” to block the web. Exit every unnecessary app. Then finally do meditative breathing. Usually within 10 minutes I’ll be in the zone. The only caveat is that it is much harder for me to get into this state if I’m debugging.

Re: What it feels like to be in the zone as a programmer

#16

Post by synthmeat »

TomMarius wrote: post #8
synthmeat wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It comes and goes, with very little control on your behalf. As anecdata makes the data, here's mine - you have a lot of control of it. If you can control your environment (audio, light, temperature, food, exercise, communication, interaction, ...), you can get in the zone too just by virtue of almost exclusively focusing on some type of work you get in the zone for in the first place. Live by code, die by code.

Controlling the environment makes me more productive than I'm normally, but definitely doesn't automatically put me "in the zone".

Then there's pills to help getting you there.

Re: What it feels like to be in the zone as a programmer

#17

Post by robotmay »

I find that isolating myself from my surroundings can actually help encourage me get into the zone. I work from home, usually by myself, but if I want to get into the zone I'll chuck on a pair of headphones; something about that helps focus me, prevents distractions, and pulls me into the zone more easily. I suggested this to a friend recently whilst he was writing his dissertation, and he found that it worked well for him too and really helped him get through it.

However I can't have folk music, as I stumble across a great tune too often and get up to play it instead :)

It is much easier to stay in the zone when there's a physical barrier between you and other people. Even so much as being asked if you want a cup of tea is enough to pull you out of it. I recently asked my boss to stop other people from phoning me if they want me to be productive, and that really helped. I don't think most people understand what it's like; that amazing feeling you get when you're in the zone when programming, and it can be difficult getting them to understand why it's so frustrating being pulled out of it when a simple message would have sufficed.

Re: What it feels like to be in the zone as a programmer

#18

Post by synthmeat »

lanestp wrote: post #15
synthmeat wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It comes and goes, with very little control on your behalf. As anecdata makes the data, here's mine - you have a lot of control of it. If you can control your environment (audio, light, temperature, food, exercise, communication, interaction, ...), you can get in the zone too just by virtue of almost exclusively focusing on some type of work you get in the zone for in the first place. Live by code, die by code.

It takes some effort but you can trigger the zone. I put on my favorite programming song (looped). Turn on “Freedom” to block the web. Exit every unnecessary app. Then finally do meditative breathing. Usually within 10 minutes I’ll be in the zone. The only caveat is that it is much harder for me to get into this state if I’m debugging.

That's one of the reasons I avoid debugging. I much prefer real-time visceral ingestion of system's IOs than undead autopsy.

Re: What it feels like to be in the zone as a programmer

#19

Post by amiga-workbench »

I haven't been getting this much for the last few months, but I think that's due to my scattered workload. I'm about to start a new project build and am looking forward to falling back into the flow.

Its a wonderful feeling, its like the fog in my mind has been lifted.

Re: What it feels like to be in the zone as a programmer

#20

Post by djhworld »

I sometimes find myself in this situation too. I often find that I feel most productive when I reach this state. But it's quite rare, a lot of my day is interrupted by colleagues, meetings, noisy office etc

It's cool, but you can see the downsides. A few weeks ago I basically disappeared for a few days writing some code. Great fun for me, but not exactly boosting growth opportunities for the team.

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