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"no responsibilities except work" I assume this also means the responsibility to keep one's health in check is sacrificed for additional workload? I can't ima

"no responsibilities except work" I assume this also means the responsibility to keep one's health in check is sacrificed for additional workload? I can't imagine keeping up an exercise routine working that many hours.

seibelj 10y ago
I don't think it's that crazy, it's five 12 hour days and then 10 hours over the weekend. It's a lot of work, but without kids and other responsibilities it's doable. 70 hours of working is usually only 40-50 of real programming / hardcore thinking, there's always internet surfing, lunch, chit chat, etc. mingled in.
- funkymike 10y ago
  From my own experience I think it's ultimately unhealthy to justify working long hours with "internet surfing, lunch, chit chat, etc. mingled in." While it's easy to rationalize staying late thinking "yeah, but I took a long lunch, chatted with so-and-so, ..." at the end of the day you have that much less downtime away from work. I find I am much happier when I can keep those distractions to a minimum, then force myself to go home. I get more done outside of work and sleep better, resulting in being more focused and productive when I am at work. Allowing work and the rest of my life to blend together both makes me less productive at work and results in having less time for everything else.
kbenson 10y ago
If you assume a 7 day work week, it's less crazy from an hours-in-the-day perspective, but more crazy from a no-recover-time perspective. I kind of assume the hours a week number is somewhat inclusive of non-specific work items. It may include a lunch where you are on the computer but not specifically working, such as watching a few short videos, and time spent on HN and other social/information resources, which may be somewhat relaxing. Not everyone means the same thing when they say something like "15 hour work day". That said, I think short busts of non work specific activity without changing your surrounding is no substitute for changing your surroundings and context enough to switch gears for a while. A trip to the local coffee house with coworkers where you still discuss work is a poor substitute for an extra 15-30 minutes at the end of the day where get out and do something entirely different.

seibelj 10y ago

I don't think it's that crazy, it's five 12 hour days and then 10 hours over the weekend. It's a lot of work, but without kids and other responsibilities it's doable. 70 hours of working is usually only 40-50 of real programming / hardcore thinking, there's always internet surfing, lunch, chit chat, etc. mingled in.

funkymike 10y ago
From my own experience I think it's ultimately unhealthy to justify working long hours with "internet surfing, lunch, chit chat, etc. mingled in." While it's easy to rationalize staying late thinking "yeah, but I took a long lunch, chatted with so-and-so, ..." at the end of the day you have that much less downtime away from work. I find I am much happier when I can keep those distractions to a minimum, then force myself to go home. I get more done outside of work and sleep better, resulting in being more focused and productive when I am at work. Allowing work and the rest of my life to blend together both makes me less productive at work and results in having less time for everything else.

kbenson 10y ago

If you assume a 7 day work week, it's less crazy from an hours-in-the-day perspective, but more crazy from a no-recover-time perspective. I kind of assume the hours a week number is somewhat inclusive of non-specific work items. It may include a lunch where you are on the computer but not specifically working, such as watching a few short videos, and time spent on HN and other social/information resources, which may be somewhat relaxing. Not everyone means the same thing when they say something like "15 hour work day". That said, I think short busts of non work specific activity without changing your surrounding is no substitute for changing your surroundings and context enough to switch gears for a while. A trip to the local coffee house with coworkers where you still discuss work is a poor substitute for an extra 15-30 minutes at the end of the day where get out and do something entirely different.