Story

I am suffering something similar - it's a zen state of mind you need, and you can still get it, but it's getting harder. I'm a writer, not a programmer, and the challenge is the same. Tough to get into the zone with so many gadgets, widgets, and things on my desktop flashing for my attention. I do my best writing with the Internet connection turned off, and my best thinking when I'm walking the dogs. Studies show you're sharpest at this kind of stuff early in the day; if you're programming late at night it gets much harder, fast. Try getting up before dawn, drinking a cup of coffee, and setting down to your programming with a rested mind and the network connection turned off. It's a formula that's worked wonders for me.