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  3. In the Zone

In the Zone

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  • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

    When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?" And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?" (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

    The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

    C Offline
    C Offline
    Chris Maunder
    wrote on last edited by
    #17

    About 5 mins usually.

    cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

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    • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

      When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?" And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?" (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

      The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

      C Offline
      C Offline
      Chris Quinn
      wrote on last edited by
      #18

      Zone? We don't need no steenking zones!


      It's well known that if all the cat videos and porn disappeared from the internet there would be only one site left and it would be called whereareallthecatvideosandporn.com


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      • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

        When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?" And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?" (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

        The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

        K Offline
        K Offline
        kmoorevs
        wrote on last edited by
        #19

        Lot's of coffee and an hour or so with the CP Daily News and Lounge has become the routine...I get irritable if either is in short supply. As for recovering from interruptions and getting back to work, it shouldn't take that long...my weakness at this point is what I choose to do after the interruption. __; break.

        "Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse

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        • D David Goebet

          how long does it take till im in the zone ? hm :^) like 17 hours i guess ? best time in the "Zone" is about 2am no ones around and disturbs me ... till the sun goes up ...

          is this a signature ?

          Richard Andrew x64R Offline
          Richard Andrew x64R Offline
          Richard Andrew x64
          wrote on last edited by
          #20

          David Goebet wrote:

          best time in the "Zone" is about 2am

          I agree. My best zone time is always at night.

          The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

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          • S S Houghtelin

            Depends, if I've been thinking about a coding issue all night, as soon as I get in. I come in to work at 6:30 before the other code monkeys show up at 9 or so, so the mornings are my most productive time But I know when I'm in the zone when people start coming around to chit-chat.

            It was broke, so I fixed it.

            Richard Andrew x64R Offline
            Richard Andrew x64R Offline
            Richard Andrew x64
            wrote on last edited by
            #21

            S Houghtelin wrote:

            But I know when I'm in the zone when people start coming around to chit-chat.

            :laugh:

            The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

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            • L Lost User

              Richard Andrew x64 wrote:

              When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?"

              ..did not happen (yet) at this company. Ten minutes when I'm at home.

              Richard Andrew x64 wrote:

              And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?"

              Depends on the project and the nature of the interruption.

              Richard Andrew x64 wrote:

              (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

              It's a state-of-mind that can also be found outside of coding-activities.

              Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

              Richard Andrew x64R Offline
              Richard Andrew x64R Offline
              Richard Andrew x64
              wrote on last edited by
              #22

              Eddy Vluggen wrote:

              It's a state-of-mind that can also be found outside of coding-activities.

              Totally agreed.

              The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

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              • M Marc Clifton

                Richard Andrew x64 wrote:

                (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

                The Zone isn't found, it's created. Contemplate your work before engaging in it and visualize the blue sphere of the zone in front of you. Notice the energy vortices and pulsations. With your mind, move the blue sphere of the zone towards you so that it encompasses your head. Feel the vibrations of the zonergy infusing into your brain. Breath deeply, increasing the frequency from a low hum to an ear piercing whine. Take the frequency even higher beyond the auditory range, until your whole body is experiencing the tingling ant-crawling sensation of ultrasonic energy imbuing itself into your very neurons. Focus that energy towards your fingertips. Move your hand slowly to the keyboard, and begin coding, in the Zone. Marc

                Testers Wanted!
                Latest Article: User Authentication on Ruby on Rails - the definitive how to
                My Blog

                Richard Andrew x64R Offline
                Richard Andrew x64R Offline
                Richard Andrew x64
                wrote on last edited by
                #23

                That's awesome, Marc! I'm inspired just reading that.

                The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

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                • M Marc Clifton

                  Richard Andrew x64 wrote:

                  (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

                  The Zone isn't found, it's created. Contemplate your work before engaging in it and visualize the blue sphere of the zone in front of you. Notice the energy vortices and pulsations. With your mind, move the blue sphere of the zone towards you so that it encompasses your head. Feel the vibrations of the zonergy infusing into your brain. Breath deeply, increasing the frequency from a low hum to an ear piercing whine. Take the frequency even higher beyond the auditory range, until your whole body is experiencing the tingling ant-crawling sensation of ultrasonic energy imbuing itself into your very neurons. Focus that energy towards your fingertips. Move your hand slowly to the keyboard, and begin coding, in the Zone. Marc

                  Testers Wanted!
                  Latest Article: User Authentication on Ruby on Rails - the definitive how to
                  My Blog

                  J Offline
                  J Offline
                  Jorgen Andersson
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #24

                  What substance are you using?

                  "The ones who care enough to do it right care too much to compromise." Matthew Faithfull

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                  • J Jorgen Andersson

                    What substance are you using?

                    "The ones who care enough to do it right care too much to compromise." Matthew Faithfull

                    B Offline
                    B Offline
                    Big Daddy Farang
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #25

                    I wonder about that too. Thanks for asking!

                    BDF I often make very large prints from unexposed film, and every one of them turns out to be a picture of myself as I once dreamed I would be. -- BillWoodruff

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                    • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

                      When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?" And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?" (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

                      The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

                      G Offline
                      G Offline
                      Gary R Wheeler
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #26

                      Richard Andrew x64 wrote:

                      When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?"

                      Two cups of coffee.

                      Richard Andrew x64 wrote:

                      And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?"

                      About as along as it takes the interruptor to bleed out.

                      Software Zen: delete this;

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                      • M Marc Clifton

                        Richard Andrew x64 wrote:

                        (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

                        The Zone isn't found, it's created. Contemplate your work before engaging in it and visualize the blue sphere of the zone in front of you. Notice the energy vortices and pulsations. With your mind, move the blue sphere of the zone towards you so that it encompasses your head. Feel the vibrations of the zonergy infusing into your brain. Breath deeply, increasing the frequency from a low hum to an ear piercing whine. Take the frequency even higher beyond the auditory range, until your whole body is experiencing the tingling ant-crawling sensation of ultrasonic energy imbuing itself into your very neurons. Focus that energy towards your fingertips. Move your hand slowly to the keyboard, and begin coding, in the Zone. Marc

                        Testers Wanted!
                        Latest Article: User Authentication on Ruby on Rails - the definitive how to
                        My Blog

                        G Offline
                        G Offline
                        Gary R Wheeler
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #27

                        Did you bring enough to share?

                        Software Zen: delete this;

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                        • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

                          When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?" And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?" (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

                          The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

                          D Offline
                          D Offline
                          DerekT P
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #28

                          I usually start work around 08:30 but these days I have to go through around 100+ emails from overnight (largely system alerts). But then there are requests - mostly stupid - from the users (internal and external) some of which will sometimes throw up some issues. But by the time I've worked through the overnight stuff the users are in and the emails tend to come in faster than I can work through them. They tail off around lunchtime so by about 15:00 my inbox is clear. But then the project manager usually comes online via Skype and there's a load more nonsense to deal with, usually until around 16:30. That's when I actually start "working" in the sense of addressing items on the project development task list. By 17:00 I'm in the zone and sadly, with the light evenings, I'm often still there at 19:30 when my wife finally gives up waiting, comes in and says "dinner's in the oven". In March I was aware of the gathering darkness and usually managed to finish around 18:00. It's been getting silly recently so have asked my other half to "break the trance" at 18:30 if I don't come out of it myself! And the project manager still can't get his head around why I'm only managing to do 2 - 3 hours' work on task list items per day... :(

                          Richard Andrew x64R 1 Reply Last reply
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                          • D DerekT P

                            I usually start work around 08:30 but these days I have to go through around 100+ emails from overnight (largely system alerts). But then there are requests - mostly stupid - from the users (internal and external) some of which will sometimes throw up some issues. But by the time I've worked through the overnight stuff the users are in and the emails tend to come in faster than I can work through them. They tail off around lunchtime so by about 15:00 my inbox is clear. But then the project manager usually comes online via Skype and there's a load more nonsense to deal with, usually until around 16:30. That's when I actually start "working" in the sense of addressing items on the project development task list. By 17:00 I'm in the zone and sadly, with the light evenings, I'm often still there at 19:30 when my wife finally gives up waiting, comes in and says "dinner's in the oven". In March I was aware of the gathering darkness and usually managed to finish around 18:00. It's been getting silly recently so have asked my other half to "break the trance" at 18:30 if I don't come out of it myself! And the project manager still can't get his head around why I'm only managing to do 2 - 3 hours' work on task list items per day... :(

                            Richard Andrew x64R Offline
                            Richard Andrew x64R Offline
                            Richard Andrew x64
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #29

                            You say your manager comes in on Skype. Do you telecommute?

                            The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

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                            • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

                              You say your manager comes in on Skype. Do you telecommute?

                              The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

                              D Offline
                              D Offline
                              DerekT P
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #30

                              I'm a freelancer working from home; I have one primary client currently who take up about 95% of my time.

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                              • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

                                When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?" And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?" (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

                                The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

                                C Offline
                                C Offline
                                ClockMeister
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #31

                                As you become older, getting "in the zone" and dealing with interruption takes a little less time. You start thinking more about what you're doing instead of all the different ways to do it. At least that's how I see it.

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                                • C Christopher Duncan

                                  Depends on how long I spend drinking coffee and reading posts like this... :)

                                  Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer Enjoy comedy? Watch Talking Head Games (SFW)

                                  W Offline
                                  W Offline
                                  William Clardy
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #32

                                  Well, then there's also the time spent fielding questions once I get to the office after I'm done reading stuff like this over breakfast and initial caffeination.

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                                  • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

                                    When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?" And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?" (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

                                    The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

                                    J Offline
                                    J Offline
                                    J Julian
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #33

                                    Usually about 4-4:30pm, when others are on their way out the door. That's when I can start getting work done. When I was younger, I would zone in and out at will (of course, I had a lot fewer interruptions, since I wasn't the senior programmer :) )

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                                    • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

                                      When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?" And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?" (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

                                      The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

                                      P Offline
                                      P Offline
                                      patbob
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #34

                                      Richard Andrew x64 wrote:

                                      When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?"

                                      It takes me anwhere from half an hour to a full hour to construct the mental model I need before I can start to get serious work done (a.k.a. get in the zone). I find the time is very dependant on how large of a mental model I need to load to make sure my changes won't have unintended consequences elsewhere in the code, so there's a lot of variability from task to task and code base to code base.

                                      Richard Andrew x64 wrote:

                                      And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?"

                                      On averatge, it takes me about half the time to recover my mental model as it took to originally construct it. Other software tasks or mental exercises can completely destroy it within minutes, whereas interruptions unrelated to software will take far longer. This is why I can't build my programming skills during breaks, much as I'd like to productively use that time.

                                      We can program with only 1's, but if all you've got are zeros, you've got nothing.

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                                      • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

                                        When you start work for the day, how long does it take for you to get into "The Zone?" And when you're interrupted, how long does it take to get back into "The Zone?" (The Zone is the place where we are feeling that we're coding our best.)

                                        The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

                                        C Offline
                                        C Offline
                                        Chad3F
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #35

                                        Inevitably.. just before some team meeting. ;)

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