Maximizing "The Zone" of Programming

It is often said that programming is a science. While the statement holds true to some degree - I would like to expound that more than a science it is actually an art. Creative thinking that commonly deals with 0's and 1's.

A little bit bias, I do find programmers have the ability to focus - Focus on a specific task for a longer period of time than most people do. Being a programmer in the past life I have often found myself staring at an empty screen seemly thinking about nothing. What people do not realize is that programmers that are into this state is trying to focus and get into "The Zone".

"For original ideas to come about, you have to let them percolate under the level of consciousness, in a place where we have no way to make them obey our own desires or our own direction. So they find their way, [through] random combinations that are driven by forces we don't know about. It's through this recombination that something new may come up—not when we try to push them directly."

—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, of Chicago University, formerly the chair of the psychology department

This state of mind is highly desirable for programmers as codes just seem to pop and diagrams are easier to understand. However, it does take time to be in the plateau plus add the fact that any interruption that causes the programmer to mentally change context will break it - makes it doubly hard to achieve "The Zone".

So how do we then maximize "The Zone"?

Venue for relaxation

Give programmer time to rest, in my case solution comes to mind when I am more relaxed to think straight or not straight (given that most solutions that I made were out of the box)

Mental Isolation

I am not saying to send them off into an uncharted island. Though one might argue that it may be an option. When a programmer is tasked to do coding of any scope, they should be allowed to go about it with minimal interruption as much as possible. Ensure that programmers are situated in one place. Make sure to schedule support and development task separately and that they do not overlap.

Accommodate Reasonable Whim

Mine was simple, just a headset lodge in my ear with or without music. Programmers are unique individuals with different rhythms and preferences. But most of them know what makes them inspired. Grant these requests and you will notice a change in pace of programming.

These are only three items that I can think off the bat. Feel free to share your experiences as well