How to remain focused while programming?
Whenever I program, I do great for the first 20-30 minutes: my goal is clear and the steps are made so that I am doing one thing at a time.  However, no matter how I simplify or make my job easier, my brain turns into mush after 50 minutes of programming.  It's a very physical sensation like my brain is being seared in a frying pan.

Amazingly, I am not the only person who suffers from the problem.  In "Straight-A Student" (book) by Cal Newport, students with high GPAs were asked how they kept their focus while studying for large stints of time.  All of these students answered this question by saying that eliminating distractions is impossible, that they merely took a "responsible" break intermittently while studying to keep fresh, (e.g. walking around, exercising).

I love programming and I just want to make sure I can consistently keep deadlines with people: 

> **How can I remain focused while programming?  If impossible, then how can I responsibly keep myself fresh while I program?**

I was considering push-ups, tricep dips, and medicine ball exercises to physically exert myself, that way I am not psychologically disengaged with my problem when I return to my code.  (Browsing Facebook/Youtube seems totally counter-productive as a break).
How to remain focused while programming?
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Whenever I program, I do great for the first 20-30 minutes: my goal is clear and the steps are made so that I am doing one thing at a time.  However, no matter how I simplify or make my job easier, my brain turns into mush after 50 minutes of programming.  It's a very physical sensation like my brain is being seared in a frying pan.

Amazingly, I am not the only person who suffers from the problem.  In "Straight-A Student" (book) by Cal Newport, students with high GPAs were asked how they kept their focus while studying for large stints of time.  All of these students answered this question by saying that eliminating distractions is impossible, that they merely took a "responsible" break intermittently while studying to keep fresh, (e.g. walking around, exercising).

I love programming and I just want to make sure I can consistently keep deadlines with people: 

> **How can I remain focused while programming?  If impossible, then how can I responsibly keep myself fresh while I program?**

I was considering push-ups, tricep dips, and medicine ball exercises to physically exert myself, that way I am not psychologically disengaged with my problem when I return to my code.  (Browsing Facebook/Youtube seems totally counter-productive as a break).