The Low Energy Loop
The Development Loop
I write a lot of code. Kinda all the time. Except for the past two months. I wrote almost none. Partly that's because I joined a Minecraft server. Met some kindred spirits. Hanging out on the server was like hanging out at the local bar.
The bigger reason was because I couldn't code any more. Not because I'd forgotten how. Because my process broke.
For decades it looks like this:
- Hack on some code for a while
- Take a break (by jumping over to social media)
- GOTO: Step 1
I expect most folks who do creative work have something similar: Do some focused work. Do something that's explicitly not the work. Go back to the work.
What I do during the break is critical. It has to provide mental rest without being too engaging. I lose the context of what I'm working on if the break fully captures my attention. My ability to get into a flow state disappears with it.
Social media was the perfect break. Right up until it wasn't.
Finding the Flow
I should back up. I said my process was three steps. The third being nothing more than a loop back to the first.
That's the inner loop. It's critical. But, it's only the foundation. A full working session is a line built on top of the loops:
- Start poking at a thing - Mostly reloading project context back into my head.
- Break
- Get comfortable moving in the space - Probably get into little flow for a bit.
- Break
- Wade back in - Find the flow within a minute or two and ride the current.
- Break
-
Glide back in - Rejoin the flow instantly. This time, it's moving faster. Like, a lot faster. Like Neo learning to control the Matrix. Action feels effortless. Effect are multiplied.
That last stage is where things start to jump like compound interest. The loops continue. Taking breaks but always returning with the same momentum.
Social Loss
I couldn't do the inner loop anymore. Social media is no longer taking a break. It breaks me. I can feel the weight of it. A physical reaction. So bad I stopped coding because I didn't want to experience it.
I was at a loss. Trying to find a thing to replace it. Now, I bounce to youtube and my RSS feed reader. Opening a ton of tabs from each is the new break. I don't read or watch most of it. The act of opening the tabs is enough.
Testing the Waters
But, I'm sticking my toe back into social media. There's great stuff there. I'm feeling better now. I can withstand some of the awful to get to the good stuff. Only a little though. And only when I'm up for it.
That last sentence is something I learned today. I didn't have much energy this morning. Kinda zoned out, I start the morning on a social media feed. There was some good stuff, but plenty of awfulness too.
I felt my energy sliding. The energy to start coding disappeared. Without that energy I stayed on the social media. It's so low friction. So easy to do. Even when I could feel it making me feel worse.
I never noticed how pronounced the effect was. I see it now. The cycle that give you just enough to keep you going but not enough to get out of it. The trap.
Knowing It's There
The effect is obvious now. Spending time at the breaking point made it clear. With that clarity comes a chance to avoid the trap. Or, more to the point, to make sure I've got enough energy to get out before walking in.
Because, I don't want to leave social media. I want to use it to see what everyone's making. The creations across the web. That's just going to have to be a rare occurrence for now.
-a