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Finding the Programming Zone?

Posted by Cliff on from the attaning-coder-nirvana dept.

SlashDotDashDot asks: "As a developer for 20+ years, I've developed a fairly fine tuned way to find 'The Zone' for optimal programming - a combination of furniture arrangement (PC and chair), lighting and music. I also have a pretty good sense of what time of day is best for working on a particular set of problems. But this is what works for me. My company is growing and I'm needing to mediate working conditions between my clients and consultants. This has me wondering what others have found important for finding 'The Zone' in their programming lives. How fast can you get there? How long does it last? What do you do that helps keep that state? What are the major interrupters?" We also touched on this issue in a similar article, last year. However, many of you may have ways of attaining "the zone" that don't depend on any of the factors listed above. If you have a method that works for you, please share. It may work for others.

2 of 577 comments (clear)

  1. Here's how I do it. by ciryon · · Score: 5, Informative

    Optimal condition is:

    * Rather dark and gloomy room
    * Big monitor at high resolution and many xterms prepared
    * Huge MP3 playlist set to random
    * One big cup of coffee (machine close by)
    * Unlimited supply of colas in the fridge

    I'm at optimal performance just when I normally should go home from work. Or when I work home, just before I really should go to bed.

    Ciryon

  2. use IM not phone by GunFodder · · Score: 4, Informative

    The phone has to be one of the most distracting elements in the modern office. If you and your team use an instant messenger instead you can really cut back on the distraction factor. I find I can hold my concentration better through a chat session than a phone conversation.

    And stack your meetings on particular days if at all possible. This is often difficult since in many office cultures the managers proclaim meeting times and the workers learn to live with them. But if you have a choice then try to put all the distractions on the same days.

    And for all you managers out there don't schedule a meeting that ends close to the end of the day. If the meeting ends at 4 and most people leave at 5 chances are your workers are doing only two things between 4 and 5: jack and shit.