As of lately I've found a useful insight in the opposite direction: getting 'in the zone' is never instantaneous. Just like many other activities (e.g. social,

As of lately I've found a useful insight in the opposite direction: getting 'in the zone' is never instantaneous. Just like many other activities (e.g. social, or sport), you can't go from 0 to 100 just like that. And that transition period sucks. Your brain was over-stimulated and now has to focus. It's crying like a child who's been deprived of his favorite toy. It sucks and there's no way around it. But: being aware of it is liberating! If you remain aware that starting work is painful, you won't be waiting for a later moment where it will magically become more enjoyable. Best of all, the hard first few minutes are just that, a few minutes. Maybe 10, which again are painful, because one is under-performing and mentally dispersed. If you are aware of the transient nature of this state, it will be less frustrating. Embrace the suck.