3 ms·

Be smarter at work, slack off

11 points by prakash 19y ago

k7lim 19y ago
Ev Williams talks about how this book (Tom Demarco's _Slack_) sets the tone for his companies. And it was on his recommendation that I read it. Ironically, he mentioned that his experience at Google did NOT typify the mentality of leaving space to maneuver. My experience there corroborates.
- prakash 19y ago
  Tom DeMarco's books are awesome. Slack really opened my mind, instead of optimizing every waking hour, I used a "structured procrastination" approach in getting things done.
  - wanorris 19y ago
    Structured procrastination? Is that where you give yourself x minutes to surf the web or whatever, but when the timer goes off, you go back to work, or is it something else?
    - kirubakaran 19y ago
      http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/ http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/ (using your tendency to procrastinate to work for you)
webwright 19y ago
"The "time cost" of refocusing your attention may be only a few seconds with each switch, but the researchers found that, over time, it reduced people's total efficiency by 20% to 40%." So true. The average RescueTime user visits 40 different web domains (note: not PAGES-- domains!) and uses 15 different installable apps-- per day. Another tidbit-- the average RescueTime users alt-tabs to an IM window 70 times per day. Email is around 30. Toss in cell phones, meetings, coffee breaks, and (ahem) Hacker News, and it looks pretty grim.
- prakash 19y ago
  I love rescue time :-). It's interesting to know the kind of meta info and intelligence you can gather and build recommendation systems or dating sites with it ;-)
- tomjen 19y ago
  How many of those 40 domains is ad networks? Second when are you guys going to make a linux version? It would be cool knowing what I spend my time doing.
  - webwright 19y ago
    Almost none are ad networks! We don't track domains of embedded stuff-- only the URL that's in your address bar. So ad networks would only theoretically show up with pop-up/pop-under windows. Which are the devil. Linux version is open-sourced and active-- and ready for action!. I've heard good things: https://launchpad.net/rescuetime-linux-uploader https://launchpad.net/rescuetime-linux-uploader
DaniFong 19y ago
'"The physiological effects of tiredness are well-known. You can turn a smart person into an idiot just by overworking him," notes Peter Capelli, a professor of management at Wharton.' I've definitely felt this. I tried to explain it to my boos once. 'My brain feels dead, sir. I can't code any more. I need a break'. That wasn't received so well, but I got out of there.
- prakash 19y ago
  I guess its time to leave, the moment you start calling them "Sir" :-)
simianstyle 19y ago
Don't tell anybody this, but I always take a 15 minute nap in our break room after lunch everyday at work. It really helps me get back to focus for the rest of the day when I'm coding.
- holygoat 19y ago
  Start telling people; maybe things will change.
- umjames 19y ago
  Maybe the fact that you feel like you have to keep this a secret is a clue that you're not at the right place.
  - simianstyle 19y ago
    Well I like where I work, but the only problem is that the old people don't believe in naps. They prefer the 9-5 mundane corporate environment despite the fact that we're a startup.
deleted 19y ago
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11 points by prakash 19y ago

k7lim 19y ago

Ev Williams talks about how this book (Tom Demarco's _Slack_) sets the tone for his companies. And it was on his recommendation that I read it. Ironically, he mentioned that his experience at Google did NOT typify the mentality of leaving space to maneuver. My experience there corroborates.

prakash 19y ago
Tom DeMarco's books are awesome. Slack really opened my mind, instead of optimizing every waking hour, I used a "structured procrastination" approach in getting things done.
- wanorris 19y ago
  Structured procrastination? Is that where you give yourself x minutes to surf the web or whatever, but when the timer goes off, you go back to work, or is it something else?
  - kirubakaran 19y ago
    http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/ http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/ (using your tendency to procrastinate to work for you)

webwright 19y ago

"The "time cost" of refocusing your attention may be only a few seconds with each switch, but the researchers found that, over time, it reduced people's total efficiency by 20% to 40%." So true. The average RescueTime user visits 40 different web domains (note: not PAGES-- domains!) and uses 15 different installable apps-- per day. Another tidbit-- the average RescueTime users alt-tabs to an IM window 70 times per day. Email is around 30. Toss in cell phones, meetings, coffee breaks, and (ahem) Hacker News, and it looks pretty grim.

prakash 19y ago
I love rescue time :-). It's interesting to know the kind of meta info and intelligence you can gather and build recommendation systems or dating sites with it ;-)
tomjen 19y ago
How many of those 40 domains is ad networks? Second when are you guys going to make a linux version? It would be cool knowing what I spend my time doing.
- webwright 19y ago
  Almost none are ad networks! We don't track domains of embedded stuff-- only the URL that's in your address bar. So ad networks would only theoretically show up with pop-up/pop-under windows. Which are the devil. Linux version is open-sourced and active-- and ready for action!. I've heard good things: https://launchpad.net/rescuetime-linux-uploader https://launchpad.net/rescuetime-linux-uploader

DaniFong 19y ago

'"The physiological effects of tiredness are well-known. You can turn a smart person into an idiot just by overworking him," notes Peter Capelli, a professor of management at Wharton.' I've definitely felt this. I tried to explain it to my boos once. 'My brain feels dead, sir. I can't code any more. I need a break'. That wasn't received so well, but I got out of there.

prakash 19y ago
I guess its time to leave, the moment you start calling them "Sir" :-)

simianstyle 19y ago

Don't tell anybody this, but I always take a 15 minute nap in our break room after lunch everyday at work. It really helps me get back to focus for the rest of the day when I'm coding.

holygoat 19y ago
Start telling people; maybe things will change.
umjames 19y ago
Maybe the fact that you feel like you have to keep this a secret is a clue that you're not at the right place.
- simianstyle 19y ago
  Well I like where I work, but the only problem is that the old people don't believe in naps. They prefer the 9-5 mundane corporate environment despite the fact that we're a startup.

deleted 19y ago

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