4 ms·

Do you code 8 hours a day, every day? I pretty much zone out for more than half the day multitask thinking how I'd architect something, but also not really "wor

by ev1 6y ago

Do you code 8 hours a day, every day? I pretty much zone out for more than half the day multitask thinking how I'd architect something, but also not really "working"...

tra3 6y ago
Apologies if it came out sounding judgemental. This is something I’m trying to figure out for myself. Wfh has dispensed away with a huge amount of office based busy work and bs socializing so I’m finding myself productive enough in less than 8 hours as well.
- ev1 6y ago
  This is probably unhealthy to mix and not have a degree of separation (I'm a kid still and don't have many responsibilities), but personally I've been getting a lot more out of my work day by being free to do things, run errands, grab a healthier lunch for pickup around the times when I don't have meetings scheduled (my team is aware of this) I am really not a morning person, but being able to split a 2 hour commute + 8 hour work day into just casually checking in even at 3 am, when you have an aha moment go code, I honestly feel like the company is extracting more value out of me this way and getting more even though I'm putting in less than half the "butts in seats" hours. I pop in 10-15 minute blocks completing a quest in Path of Exile during a particularly boring meeting that was called for no reason and was already answered in documentation, while answering questions, I'm sure this would look terrible if I was physically doing this in the open plan office - but the work is getting done, effectively, any problems are being resolved in the same time or faster. My team is also pretty OK with this probably because I'm always happy to deal with on call incidents in the middle of the night so the people with kids don't have to - I'm online anyway...
  - tra3 6y ago
    I have a bit of trouble elucidate my discomfort with a similar arrangement. I explicitly signed up for 8 hours a day or so of "work". When I'm "productive" (how do you accurately meausre this) in 3 or 4 and then do other things; well that sounds like a "silent contract". There's no transparency there. If I was in the office tooling around or socializing, at least there's an implicit understanding that this is "ok". Maybe I'm being too naive.
    - ev1 6y ago
      I feel like it's to each their own, but I was never one for socialising or tooling around (I have Aspergers too), I am definitely more productive since full remote and asynchronous communication became the norm, my code quality is equal or better, and my time it takes to complete a story has dropped heavily. I'm entirely confident that work is extracting more value from me for the same wage - and thus I don't feel bad about it. It's also nice to not have multiple-hour commute in a completely packed metal tube with standing room only. What they paid hasn't changed, but they get more value out of me than before (removing the constant interruptions, people always behind me, loud typing, the only thing for lunch being 8 different kale salad bars for $25 each with lines out the door, hours of commute wasted). I mentally "stay later" because I don't need to leave early to catch the train right before peak hours that isn't so packed there is no room to board.

by ev1 6y ago

Do you code 8 hours a day, every day? I pretty much zone out for more than half the day multitask thinking how I'd architect something, but also not really "working"...

tra3 6y ago

Apologies if it came out sounding judgemental. This is something I’m trying to figure out for myself. Wfh has dispensed away with a huge amount of office based busy work and bs socializing so I’m finding myself productive enough in less than 8 hours as well.

ev1 6y ago
This is probably unhealthy to mix and not have a degree of separation (I'm a kid still and don't have many responsibilities), but personally I've been getting a lot more out of my work day by being free to do things, run errands, grab a healthier lunch for pickup around the times when I don't have meetings scheduled (my team is aware of this) I am really not a morning person, but being able to split a 2 hour commute + 8 hour work day into just casually checking in even at 3 am, when you have an aha moment go code, I honestly feel like the company is extracting more value out of me this way and getting more even though I'm putting in less than half the "butts in seats" hours. I pop in 10-15 minute blocks completing a quest in Path of Exile during a particularly boring meeting that was called for no reason and was already answered in documentation, while answering questions, I'm sure this would look terrible if I was physically doing this in the open plan office - but the work is getting done, effectively, any problems are being resolved in the same time or faster. My team is also pretty OK with this probably because I'm always happy to deal with on call incidents in the middle of the night so the people with kids don't have to - I'm online anyway...
- tra3 6y ago
  I have a bit of trouble elucidate my discomfort with a similar arrangement. I explicitly signed up for 8 hours a day or so of "work". When I'm "productive" (how do you accurately meausre this) in 3 or 4 and then do other things; well that sounds like a "silent contract". There's no transparency there. If I was in the office tooling around or socializing, at least there's an implicit understanding that this is "ok". Maybe I'm being too naive.
  - ev1 6y ago
    I feel like it's to each their own, but I was never one for socialising or tooling around (I have Aspergers too), I am definitely more productive since full remote and asynchronous communication became the norm, my code quality is equal or better, and my time it takes to complete a story has dropped heavily. I'm entirely confident that work is extracting more value from me for the same wage - and thus I don't feel bad about it. It's also nice to not have multiple-hour commute in a completely packed metal tube with standing room only. What they paid hasn't changed, but they get more value out of me than before (removing the constant interruptions, people always behind me, loud typing, the only thing for lunch being 8 different kale salad bars for $25 each with lines out the door, hours of commute wasted). I mentally "stay later" because I don't need to leave early to catch the train right before peak hours that isn't so packed there is no room to board.