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Alexey Polushin2016-03-01 16:51:05
Time Management
Alexey Polushin, 2016-03-01 16:51:05

Is the flow state productive (flow, the zone)?

Recently, foreign forums have begun to talk about how the flow state is actually counterproductive. That it only creates the illusion of productivity.
Allegedly, it is akin to drug intoxication, when it seems to a person that he knows all the secrets of the Universe, which in fact naturally does not happen. And although in a state of flow a person does not notice time and can enjoy the process, however, the speed of writing code in this state seems to be lower, and the number of errors, on the contrary, is greater. Accordingly, in the managerial environment, methods are already beginning to be discussed on how NOT to allow your employees to enter the flow.
Therefore, I would very much like a link to real studies of productivity in the flow state. Is she more? Smaller? Or the same? Unfortunately, no such studies have been found. Maybe someone is luckier?

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5 answer(s)
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Denis Dmitriev, 2016-03-10
@Alexey2005

Immortal immediately popped up in my memory Don't wake up the programmer!
The history of the question comes from the statements of famous programming ideologues, such as Robert Martin (aka Uncle Bob) in the book The Ideal Programmer (p. 72, The Flow Zone), who repeatedly visited the Zone and returned from it: Avoid the Zone (Avoid The Zone).
In order to answer the question about the productivity of this state, you need to get to know its nature in more detail, for example, using the book of the famous psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Potok. The Psychology of Optimal Experience , which described it scientifically or in Steven Kotler's as yet untranslated bestseller The Rise of Superman, a journalist who vividly expressed this state through the emotional stories of athletes.

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Yuri, 2016-03-02
@riky

The question probably primarily refers to what kind of product you are making, whether creativity is needed in it.
There are artists and there are painters , the former must work in a stream, the latter do not, otherwise they will display flowers there, and then paint over them, naturally this is slower and inefficient.
Personally, IMHO, creative work goes more efficiently in a stream, logical, according to a predetermined algorithm, even more mechanical - should be without, otherwise you can forget and start doing too much.
If you are making another Internet store, then there is a minimum of creativity. If you come up with a new, realistic algorithm for moving units around a game location, then this task can be creative, or it can be typical - it depends on whether there is a ready-made solution.

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DarkMatter, 2016-03-01
@darkmatter

I think that the flow state is definitely productive. It is difficult to say in terms of the speed of writing, but the speed of thinking in it increases quite strongly and many tasks are solved that previously could not be solved for a long time. It just comes with a bunch of ideas, options for improvements.
How interesting is it for a person to be prevented from entering the stream?))) From the outside, this state is not particularly noticeable ...

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Neron, 2016-03-02
Lordov @Nekto_Habr

Let's take away the state of inspiration from everyone, let them methodically and systematically rivet commercial products according to the template using the scientific method - from musicians, designers, artists, programmers, actors, scientists, and in general, everyone who makes a living with his head.
And let's not think about how to stimulate this inspiration, it's easier to take it away.

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Alexlexandr, 2016-03-12
@Alexlexandr

When I managed to reach it, I, like a crowbar, crushed "obstacles" on the way. It is important to go forward and not to theorize. And go the short way, and not necessarily the best or most beautiful.
I'm not talking about programming now, but about projects that include many disciplines.

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