Software engineering and releases are turned into social events to improve the odds of staying employed. Everyone plays their part in the status quo. Those individuals that do not play along are encouraged to go elsewhere.
Not knowing how things relate to one another can be frustrating. I suggest learning Category Theory to gain a sense of balance. Ingesting knowledge without an outlet is not a healthy practice. Use what you learn. To know and not to do - is not to know.
Having a very strong desire to get the work done is often all that I need to block distractions and focus for long periods of time. When I am less motivated, I accept it and decide on a time when I will start again. I reckon that owning the outcome helps with desire.