[Scroll_Swe]

>I've felt it too to the extent that I went down a whole new rabbit hole of what it means to be in flow state. Let me know if anybody here wants to know more, happy to post some links.

I'm not a programmer, but I very much enter a flow state working on tickets, or playing a video game on higher difficulties when everything "clicks"

[avilay]

For sure, any task or activity that is hard enough and just outside our reach, can get us into flow state. The trick is in ensuring that it is the right kind of hard, it is not too hard, and we time box the activity/task. If you think of how to beat the boss fight in a video game even when you are not playing it, it is the "right kind of hard". For me, beating the boss fights in Elden Ring were too hard, never got into flow state in that game :-)

[doubled112]

I miss feeling like I was "in the zone", but I haven't been able to achieve it in years.

Between having kids and a work situation a few years back, it is like my brain expects to be interrupted at any moment, so won't get there.

[fragmede]

Teaching your kids to have a calendar and focus blocks (once they're old enough) is as good a habit to teach them as it is for you.

[avilay]

Agree! Negotiating focus blocks both at home *and* work can be super helpful. Of course, this is not always possible. Without knowing anything about your situation, it might be useful to rule out burnout as a possible reason for loss of flow.

[chickensong]

Ride a bike.