What are your habits while you're programming?

Miscellaneous Topics
#1

Do you listen to music? what kind?

Do you eat or drink? Smoke?

You leave skype open? How do you combat distractions?

What are your favorite hours of the day for coding?

Any odd habits?

My answers: I tend to listen to Jazz, and normally I listen the same album over and over until I get tired of it, and switch to another. Somehow it helps me focus. I try to avoid eating anything… I’d just gulp it down without even enjoying it, so I prefer to wait until a break comes. I try to avoid social networks and skype… but I keep coming here and getting distracted :stuck_out_tongue: And I prefer working at night. Even if I’m sleepy and maybe not at 100%, the peace and lack of interruptions make up for it.

#2

Usually classical music is the way to go for me, cause it is relaxing for me.
But sometimes I just listen to my whole music collection or to nothing at all, it really depends on the current situation (e.g. if my GF is watching TV or something nearby)

I don’t eat while in front of the PC, because I try to keep my hardware clean :wink:
And if there are some leftover energy drinks (I usually don’t drink them, but sometimes we have some in the freezer for guests) they find the way to my workplace…

As programming is also my daily work I could say I code the whole day and for my private projects the late afternoon till night (on weekends about till 1am in the morning, but not later)

Sometimes If its getting late and I’m starting to get tired and distracted I increase(!) my speed automatically without even knowing what I’m doing - I mean at this particular situation it is mostly basic stuff like some manual refactoring or things that worked before and just got copied over and changed a bit - but it is kinda fascinating since I then reach the typical level “My code works, but I don’t know why” ;D

#3

[quote]Sometimes If its getting late and I’m starting to get tired and distracted I increase(!) my speed automatically without even knowing what I’m doing - I mean at this particular situation it is mostly basic stuff like some manual refactoring or things that worked before and just got copied over and changed a bit - but it is kinda fascinating since I then reach the typical level “My code works, but I don’t know why”
[/quote]
Why programmers work at night?

I have a playlist I hear. It contains the most tracks multiply times because it seems stupid to me to listen to a playlist that only longs a hour but I can’t concentrate with music I don’t know.

But most times the only things I have open are my browser and ide (and a window).

-ClaasJG

#4

I listen to something like The Beatles, sit in a chair, and attempt once again to make a shabby JFrame-J2D stuff that I call a “game” for some reason.

#5

There’s a game called Defcon on steam that I bought a while ago. There is a setting on it called “Office Mode” where matches can last up to 7 hours per session. What I do is start a game and then start programming. Every time I finish a certain goal or solve a problem doesn’t matter if miniscule or large, I tab over to the game and update my strategy. I keep repeating this process until I lose or win. It’s a great way to have some fun while programming and gives me a sort of incentive. ;D

#6

Coffee, sometimes songs (only instrumental or I can’t pay attention).

#7

#8

Make sure you interrupt yourself every few hours. You mind gets single-tracked after a while, losing the ability to make ‘creative cross references’. Leaving your chair to grab a drink, walk around a bit, for a few minutes, and ideas/solutions will pop into your head. Let the subconscious to its tricks, don’t suppress it by consciously thinking about the problem.

This is how I roll through life :persecutioncomplex:

#9

I believe I’ve linked this before, and it’s worth linking again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f84n5oFoZBc

#10

When coding at home I never eat while coding, I would just end up really big if I did. Agree with regular breaks, although I have to be careful to not distract myself when taking a break and then not return to coding that night.

#11

I usually plan a full day for coding, because I somehow cannot always handle working only a few hours on a project a day. I then start my day with cleaning the desk, getting a drink (hot chocolate milk or something :3) and then get coding. A few hours later I take a brake to shower and to get something to eat and I’ll mostly continue until I’m either done or I can’t concentrate anymore.

What Riven said: Going out for a walk, and regularly take a break. I fully agree to that (And I should do it more often, hehe)

#12

Yes! Silence kills my creativity. It depends on my mood and what I’m working on, but I’m currently loving this album. Otherwise, it’s random music I enjoy from YouTube/SoundCloud.

Only drink water. I like eating and NOT thinking about code. It helps a lot!

Keep just the essentials open. Eclipse, Task Manager and a browser for music. Switch around Eclipse for PyxelEdit, LMMS or any other creative tool I use and there you go. :slight_smile: Music helps me stay away from distractions.

Anywhere from 5:30 AM to about 8 AM. I feel super focused and motivated during the early part of mornings.

As for odd habits…sometimes I say code out loud. It helps me think over bugs and what’s REALLY happening in those 6 layers of parentheses. ::slight_smile:

#13

Are… are you me?

Also, your link to the album isn’t working :persecutioncomplex:

#14

Do you listen to music? what kind?

Anything without words in it as singing along tends to distract from thinking (classical, electronica, etc).
Also particularly enjoy writing code whilst listening to the cricket on the radio, both at home on personal projects and at work.

Do you eat or drink? Smoke?

Coffee of course. Snack constantly. Fag breaks help me plan my time (or at least that’s my excuse).

You leave skype open? How do you combat distractions?

At work we use Skype a lot (distributed team) but make use of the statuses to let other people know I’m busy or focussing on something. No desk phone, mobile on silent, always switch off notifications for email (read it when it suits you).

What are your favorite hours of the day for coding?

Outside of work I enjoy coding early hours of the weekend for personal stuff (assuming I’ve not been on the lash the night before).

Any odd habits?

Apparently I argue with myself when thinking through a design or implementation issue.

#15

Usually listen to music from Anime. I prefer anytime of the day except evening.

#16

Maybe we are one and the same. 8) Also, thank you! It’s fixed now and feel free to check it out. :slight_smile:

#17

IntelliJ + Night-time + Coffee + Silence (apart from the click/clack from a mechanical keyboard)