

How long does "being in the zone" last? - djshah

Just curious... often times, when doing some work, you hit your stride and get "in the zone". 
How often does this occur and how long does this period normally last for you guys? 
Does it take some distraction - like someone calling, a sudden IM pop-up, etc. - to break it or does it just recede on its own?
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jacquesm
I used to do this for very long stretches, longest I remember is while
building a 'softmodem' but I paid for that by nearly falling down two flights
of stairs.

The last couple of years the longest I've been able to manage was probably a
couple of hours, 3 or 4 at best.

The thing that will get me out of my concentration almost invariably is some
kind of sound. When I really sit down to hack I exit (not minimize) all
software that might distract me, and I like to work like that at night, which
doesn't help because it screws up my day/night rhythm and then it can take me
a long time to get back to 'normal'.

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corysama
There is a recent Google TechTalk about using meditation practice to make it
easier to get into the zone and stay there longer.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky7vMFB4iAs>

I make no claims about the effectiveness of the technique. Anyone have first-
hand experience?

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pavelludiq
Here's another techtalk, again by Shinzen Young:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XCWP4pODbs> The technique is called Vipassana
meditation, according to his website.

I've been doing zazen for a little less than a month. Zazen is a little
different from vipassana(with wich i have even less experience than with
zazen, as i said, less than a month). I chose zazen mainly because it sounds
so simple: sit with your spine straight up(in the lottos position if possible,
im not there yet, im too inflexible) breathe normally and count your breaths
for 10 minutes every day, no magic Indian mysticism involved, which is what
threw me off Buddhism the first time i encountered it.

~~~
djshah
What were your reasons for turning to zazen/vipassana? Was it to be able to
concentrate better? Or were the reasons separate and an increased focus was an
added benefit you noticed? Meditation definitely helps a lot - I have seen it
do wonders for a family member's depression where medication did little.

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pasbesoin
I find a strong correspondence with physical health. Some health issues
severely limited my prior ability to "get in the zone", let alone stay there.
On days when the physical symptoms receded, I could do so.

Actually, this was one of the most frustrating aspects of the health issues.

If you have trouble concentrating, do not overlook or discount your physical
health.

A separate comment. For me, personally, it can take an hour or two to really
get into the zone. That can be a challenge. Once really there, distractions
fade into the background and I can work a good 8, 10 hours, until outright
exhaustion overcomes my concentration. I may take some breaks, sometimes just
to walk around by myself. Actually, this can aid the overall process. I stop
the conscious concentration and heavy (in my work, typically) visual input. A
walk, maybe a cup of tea, etc., engages my other senses and different sensory
processing. The work remains in my subconscious, and not infrequently, the
change in attention allows me to make subconscious progress that I might not
have achieved or so readily achieved through conscious attention.

In such a state, I don't just consciously, step by step, put "pieces" of
information and steps of processes together. I tend to form an increasingly
developed "Gestalt" of the material and my ideas, and new ideas and
relationships reveal themselves as my overall attention (conscious and
subconscious) continues to analyze and infer. It's one of the more enjoyable
sensations of living.

Until I get deeply into that mode, interruptions and distractions can be quite
disruptive. Once I do get there, sometimes -- blessedly -- they fade into
irrelevance.

