6 ms·

From the article it looks like he works 7 days a week, in two 3hr+ sessions. Not so punishing perhaps in terms purely of hours, but .. really? Not even one day

From the article it looks like he works 7 days a week, in two 3hr+ sessions. Not so punishing perhaps in terms purely of hours, but .. really? Not even one day off a week? In 2017? > It seems I value working less than other people I don't know anyone who works 7 days a week.

azag0 9y ago
It also seems that he works at least partially on his own stuff. For me personally, there is a big difference between working on something for someone, and working on my own ideas. The latter tires me much less.
- welly 9y ago
  This is quite true. I guess I don't count the hours I work on my own projects and learning.
  - azag0 9y ago
    I think this may be actually the source of much confusion in discussions of how much "work" is good.
welly 9y ago
I should rephrase that to "some people"! And likewise, neither do I. I'd be interested to read a follow up blog post titled: "How I got down from 200 productive hours a month to something a bit more reasonable for sanity and health's sake".
- ivm 9y ago
  You can set your goal lower and still use all the described methods.
  - crispinb 9y ago
    Yes of course. It's all good advice.
ivm 9y ago
My day off is usually 4-5 hours and then I work 7-8 hours on the following days. Since I have multiple projects, a full day of entertainment feels boring because my mind still wants to think about some of them. For example, I spend some hours each month helping a local non-profit with their site and promotion. Switching to their simpler tasks is similar to rest for me.
- crispinb 9y ago
  Right. Reading that though does prompt me to identify very thoroughly with the 'work-to-live' rather than 'live-to-work' category. Even the characterisation of non-work (non-computing?) activities as mere 'entertainment' or 'rest' is deeply foreign to my way of being. At least 1 non-device/screen day is a crucial act of balance and independence to me. And I think the only way I could be 'bored' would be in solitary confinement in an empty cell. Otherwise there's too much to do, read, listen to, think about, etc. Just goes to show how different people can be. Which I guess we already knew.
dispo001 9y ago
I work 7 days most of the weeks but its physical labor. (the mind is reserved for personal use) I've convinced myself that the joy of relaxing depends on how hard you've worked and that the longer you relax the less enjoyable it gets. You pretty much have to get back to work asap. I stay productive by eliminating idle time between tasks. Switching should be seamless. If at any time you don't know what you are going to do after you've done the thing you are doing you are doing it wrong. My coworkers all work harder than I do. End of the shift I've done just as much but they are totally worn out (when I go to my next job) I do procrastinate for a total of 20 min or so by spending excessive attention on details. This amuses me greatly specially when it infuriates coworkers. It is like a sport, the work it self is not important it is all about the experience. If I ever get bored with this routine I take 3 or 12 months off right at that very moment. The thought is very comforting. No way I'm going to push it into burnout.
- crispinb 9y ago
  > I stay productive by eliminating idle time between tasks. Switching should be seamless. This is typically easier with physical labour I think (only 'typically': of course there are variations). Our bodies are far better designed for physical tasks than our minds are for purely mental ones. The latter mismatch forces a variety of coping workarounds, amongst which are task-switching costs.

azag0 9y ago

It also seems that he works at least partially on his own stuff. For me personally, there is a big difference between working on something for someone, and working on my own ideas. The latter tires me much less.

welly 9y ago
This is quite true. I guess I don't count the hours I work on my own projects and learning.
- azag0 9y ago
  I think this may be actually the source of much confusion in discussions of how much "work" is good.

welly 9y ago

I should rephrase that to "some people"! And likewise, neither do I. I'd be interested to read a follow up blog post titled: "How I got down from 200 productive hours a month to something a bit more reasonable for sanity and health's sake".

ivm 9y ago
You can set your goal lower and still use all the described methods.
- crispinb 9y ago
  Yes of course. It's all good advice.

ivm 9y ago

My day off is usually 4-5 hours and then I work 7-8 hours on the following days. Since I have multiple projects, a full day of entertainment feels boring because my mind still wants to think about some of them. For example, I spend some hours each month helping a local non-profit with their site and promotion. Switching to their simpler tasks is similar to rest for me.

crispinb 9y ago
Right. Reading that though does prompt me to identify very thoroughly with the 'work-to-live' rather than 'live-to-work' category. Even the characterisation of non-work (non-computing?) activities as mere 'entertainment' or 'rest' is deeply foreign to my way of being. At least 1 non-device/screen day is a crucial act of balance and independence to me. And I think the only way I could be 'bored' would be in solitary confinement in an empty cell. Otherwise there's too much to do, read, listen to, think about, etc. Just goes to show how different people can be. Which I guess we already knew.

dispo001 9y ago

I work 7 days most of the weeks but its physical labor. (the mind is reserved for personal use) I've convinced myself that the joy of relaxing depends on how hard you've worked and that the longer you relax the less enjoyable it gets. You pretty much have to get back to work asap. I stay productive by eliminating idle time between tasks. Switching should be seamless. If at any time you don't know what you are going to do after you've done the thing you are doing you are doing it wrong. My coworkers all work harder than I do. End of the shift I've done just as much but they are totally worn out (when I go to my next job) I do procrastinate for a total of 20 min or so by spending excessive attention on details. This amuses me greatly specially when it infuriates coworkers. It is like a sport, the work it self is not important it is all about the experience. If I ever get bored with this routine I take 3 or 12 months off right at that very moment. The thought is very comforting. No way I'm going to push it into burnout.

crispinb 9y ago
> I stay productive by eliminating idle time between tasks. Switching should be seamless. This is typically easier with physical labour I think (only 'typically': of course there are variations). Our bodies are far better designed for physical tasks than our minds are for purely mental ones. The latter mismatch forces a variety of coping workarounds, amongst which are task-switching costs.