This was similar to the approach I took early last year where I would go in 7 days a week but only spend 3-4 hours (conveniently the length of my charge) progra

This was similar to the approach I took early last year where I would go in 7 days a week but only spend 3-4 hours (conveniently the length of my charge) programming and sketching solutions. Interviewers wanted to laugh when I brought it up, but I really did find it productive. I'd leave the day stuck on some tasks, go about the rest of my day (outside the 3-4 hours) thinking about it and maybe quickly skimming docs when I wasn't doing anything else. At the start of the next day I easily banged out decent, working solutions in the first 30 minutes. I guess social pressure won out in the end when even people close to me thought I wasn't doing anything. So finding myself in a similar situation to then, I stay for a few more hours (a little over the length of a charge and recharging to full; I don't take lunch breaks myself). I probably am more productive overall, but there's lots of factors to take into account (hopefully I got more skilled) and I'd say the biggest change is the more creative processes occuring in situ rather than strewn about the day. I also check my e-mails a little more often now ;-).