Have you ever been coding and looked up at the clock, to realize hours had gone by, when you thought it was just minutes?
Every time I find myself in this state, I feel incredibly productive. I feel like I am really getting things done.
I have that “in the Zone” feeling, where I am in a constant state of flow.
I don’t want it to stop!
Protecting Yourself
Over the years, I have come to acknowledge this state and appreciate it for what it is.
Exactly because it is so valuable, I do what I can to protect myself from being interrupted out of this state.
Because it only takes a minute to be interrupted:
You know… that same “hey, do you have a minute?”… minute that - over the years - you learn to protect yourself from, when you need to actually get things done.
And protecting yourself is hard:
- social networks are engineered to capture your attention and never let go of it.
- notifications are everywhere: on your laptop, on your phone, on your watch… ( and how many of us really take the time to tune them properly, so it isn’t constant noise? )
Easing into the Zone
I’ve tried various approaches to make it easier for me to get into that state (and stay there), and I thought I’d share it with the world. Perhaps you’ve also been struggling with attention deficit, you’re drowned by notifications and you’re finding it hard to concentrate on just one problem at a time.
Here is how I set myself up for success these days:
The Zone - the tl;dr version
- Decision
- 3’ Timer
- Phones
- Hide browser windows
- Hide inactive apps
- Hide email
- Quit work slack
- Quit IM apps
- Music
- Terminal
- IDE
- Browser
This is the version I have as a post-it on my screen. Below you can read more about each step and why it’s in there.
1. Decision
It all starts with deciding I am done with other work (emails, IM, communication, etc.) and it is time to switch to deep work.
2. 3’ timer
I set a 3’ timer, in case I get distracted again before I am done with this routine.
I’ve found this is really important, because there are more distractions lurking even within the steps of this routine.
3. Phones
Phone(s) go on silent / DND mode.
(I’ll write another post one day about why having a separate work phone is a really good idea).
4. Hide Inactive Browser Windows
I minimize or hide all inactive browser windows.
WARNING: it is tempting to start closing tabs - don’t. You’re bound to find something that distracts you.
Instead: block some other time on your calendar (10 mins is good for a start) just for closing tabs.
Apart from a source of distractions, open tabs slow down your computer, make it harder for you to find the tab you’re actually looking for and are - generally - a bad idea, unless really well organized.
5. Hide Inactive Apps
I minimise or hide other inactive apps (pdf viewers, document editors, etc.)
Please note I didn’t say quit. I intentionally minimize or hide, as it is the most distraction-free.
The decision to quit or not is actually more complicated than it sounds:
- what if you have unsaved work? what if switching to this app and seeing this unsaved work, reminds you that you have to finish it and destroys your previously acquired context?
- should you save the file before quitting?
- can it be saved as is? should it overwrite the existing file? should it be saved in a new location?
- if new location, what is the most appropriate location?
- does finding an appropriate location require you to move / rename a couple of other folders?
- is there something in the other folders you open that has some loose ends?
- … how deep did we say this rabbit hole was again?
6. Hide Email
I minimize or hide email windows.
No reason to see email notifications - that are asynchronous by nature - as you are working on something else.
As an aside:
I know some companies / teams expect software engineers to read email and check IM “all the time”.
In my experience, this is either an issue of trust (I want you to reply to my IM messages so I know you’re at the computer “working”), or a poor understanding of the true nature of software engineering (folks don’t understand just how costly interruptions really are). I have lots to say on both, but they’re all beyond the scope of this post, so I’ll save it for another time.
7. Quit work Slack
Quit (work) Slack!
As per above, cultures that understand that “it’s deep work time” find it perfectly acceptable that you are a little unresponsive while you’re focusing on… your work! That’s what we’re all paid for, after all, right?
8. Quit IM apps
Quit personal IM app - (signal, viber).
If I am expecting some important communication, I will turn off DND on my personal phone.
9. Music
I start music (lofi, metal, electro/house/techno, hamilton musical soundtrack, some types of instrumental traditional Greek/Cretan music)
NOTE: I would - one day - love to understand why certain kinds of music help me get in the zone faster.
10. Terminal
Terminal on alt+1 (virtual desktop #1)
- I need the switch to terminal to be available with a shortcut.
- I need to already be in the right directory. Usually I have one tab, with horizontal split screen. ( iTerm <3 )
11. IDE
IDE/Code editor on alt+2 (virtual desktop #2)
- Minimise any other inactive Intellij windows
- Creates focus for the 1-2 I’m currently working on
- Makes cycling through app windows faster + less distracting.
12. Browser
Browser on alt+4 with ONLY tabs related to work in progress.
WARNING: don’t use a tab in a browser with many other tabs (likely to get distracted when ctrl+tabbing)
Instead: extract relevant tabs into a new browser window. (it will later be easier to close all these tabs, or bookmark them as a group)
Conclusion
This post has mostly been about the steps I take to protect myself from losing focus.
Don’t let anyone fool you: it’s hard work!
It takes very deliberate practice to avoid interruptions, but “focus” is the first step on the road to greatness.
Good luck!