This blogpost was originally posted on my personal site at https://miko.ademagic.com/blog/dungeon-mode/

Hollywood loves to push the cliché. If you're any kind of developer, you've probably spent some time sharpening your coding blades in your Mum's basement illuminated only by RGBs, surrounded by screens dripping matrix-esque code, furiously typing away on a clicky keyboard pumping techno/drum&bass. Hell, you're probably hacking some sort of mainframe right now.

It's tired, and we all know it's incredibly wrong. But what if there's something to it?

What are you on about?

I was reading a post on dev.to about procrastination and productivity. It got me thinking about my own methods of trying to stay productive and focused, which also made me think about all the various tools and methodologies people adopt to do the same. I'm a big fan of simplicity, and reflected on my own simple toolkit - paper, pen, a stopwatch and a simple (and very flexible) methodology. There's only one thing I've ever done to abstract my process, and it's made it strangely more effective. And I did it by accident.

Dungeon Mode

Around Covid I resigned from my people-focused role at a mid/large team and joined a startup to become an IC. This required me to be "100% on the tools", which I welcomed. I strapped in for long days and nights of learning, coding, and intense focus. I took advantage of the lockdown, retreated to my study, and got to work.

I like to work with music on, and discovering ChilledCow's Lofi Girl radio was an excellent source of non-invasive "ambient music" that I could listen to for hours. I found the almost whitenoise-like record-player crackling of LoFi music was more pleasant than active noise cancelling on my headphones.

I also had some health issues, and would frequently experience migraines that brought on photosensitivity. It wasn't enough to use Dark Mode on my OS, or turn down my screen brightness. I had a warm grey wall in front of me which would reflect the lights overhead, straining my eyes. I found it best to dull the monitors, and then turn off all the lights to work. To make sure I didn't have to adjust too much, I had some warm white LEDs under my desk as ambient lighting.

Winter in a poorly insulated apartment also meant it was usually cold and I was quite rugged up, often wearing a hoodie. Wearing the hood over my head not only kept me warm, but felt like a set of comfortable blinders that further blocked any light in my periphery from annoying my eyes.

After a while I found myself employing all of the above as soon as I got to my study. I'm not sure whether this came first, or if it was overhearing my partner speaking on the phone to our family and friends and telling them that I was off in my "Dungeon", but my new habit soon got its name. Dungeon mode.

A Productivity Hack, Though?

I would start telling my partner I'm off to "Dungeon Mode". She knew that meant that I had headphones on and likely couldn't hear her talking to me, and that I was trying to focus and would try not to leave the room for a while. It worked really well. Less stimuli meant I wasn't checking my phone, losing my train of thought, or even looking around the room. I'd also find it easier to enter flow state, and I'd even need to be reminded to take breaks or about other tasks I have for the day.

It's definitely not maintainable for long periods of time. It's probably not great for your health, likely not ergonomic, doesn't look good on zoom calls – generally, it may not even be good for any other role. So does the trope have it right, then?

If your job is to look at screen all day and translate complex and convoluted logic into scripts only your computer has to understand, is this sort of sensory deprivation something that will magically help you stay focused for long periods of time? Or will it work for other jobs, too? Or am I just an outlier who became motivated, feeling like some hacker from a movie he enjoyed?

The Sequel

Today, my study is an open nook of my living room. It's sunny and lit, it has a lot of plants around, a window I can open to let the breeze in, and no way to close myself off from the world. When she's home, my 2yo will run over periodically and demand my attention with great urgency. It generally feels like a healthier work environment. But I look back on Dungeon Mode fondly, and sometimes wonder if needed, could I replicate it?

Do you work like this? Does it sound like it would help you be better? If any of this experience resonates with you, or even if you disagree, I'd love to know. I'm borderline embarrassed about it, but I can't be the only one who has connected to the stereotype like this. Tell me your story.