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Ask HN: How long are you able to “hack” in a sitting

7 points by hahnchen 5y ago

Straightforward question. How long until you’re either too tired or bogged down by a certain problem/task to the point where it’s more productive to take a break? I feel like I always hit this mark but don’t realize in the moment that I’m just wasting time sitting at the computer

mikewarot 5y ago
As you get older, nature will prompt you to take frequent breaks. Other than those, I'm good for the 3 hours that google kickstart rounds take. I've always assumed you could get 4 really focused hours per day, and the rest would be admin, or non-focused work.
dusted 5y ago
If it's boring and/or stupid, around 10 minute sessions. If it's just boring, about 30 minute stretches. If it's really interesting, between 4 and 6 hours (toilet and coffee breaks included).
psyc 5y ago
Depends on what it is. my own thing: 10-14 hours in the zone, very little mental fatigue. A work thing: much closer to 10-14 minutes before I tab over to HN.
- nicolaslem 5y ago
  > my own thing: 10-14 hours in the zone I can relate, however I've noticed that when I do that I tend to burn out in a few days with a feeling that I don't want to ever touch the project I was working on again. Depending on one's personality it might be better to slow things down on purpose.
codingdave 5y ago
It depends on how well I know the codebase and the tech. Something newer, where I'm still in a learning curve is short, maybe a couple hours. My legacy tech and codebase that I've been hacking on for a decade, I can hack on that all day without stress or fatigue.
tluyben2 5y ago
Bogged down only happens when I am taken out of the zone or not coding, or, finally, what you mean I guess: when I am too hungry. When I start coding early morning (6-7am) and people do not interrupt, I forget to eat and the day just passes until I get really hungry in the evening. And sometimes even not even that until late. Unfortunately, interruption usually happens and the context switch will just take a bite out so then the sitting is over.
dekhn 5y ago
If there's no distractions (it's a weekend or a holiday, I have no external obligations, the family is completely gone from the house) I can sustain about 3-4 hours before I need a big break. If I'm close to a solution, maybe 6 hours. Eventually I get super hungry and so hungry I can't make forward progress.
the_only_law 5y ago
Depends on what I’m working on, but maybe 2-3 hours before I get stuck on a hard block or get bored from something. Potentially a bit more if it really into it and isolated from the environment with music or the Ballmer peak
partisan 5y ago
I have a consulting gig where I pair program with my client. We do up to a four hour session before I can’t really think too much. Unfortunately, nowadays I dont have large blocks of personal time where I also have the energy and motivation to do programming. When I had my own company, it wasn’t uncommon for me to put in 6 hours of straight development after hours since there were no distractions.
dyingkneepad 5y ago
If I'm working on an interesting problem I can stay on it an infinite number of hours. For a lot of the tasks I get at work it's 5 minutes max: I start doing it then when I realize I'm already typing this comment. Time to go back to it.
natzar 5y ago
12 hours for 2 days in a row. Less than 5 minutes breaks, when I feel like or to pee.
idontwantthis 5y ago
I used to work for long stretches, especially in an office, but now I know that when I get tired the solutions get further and further away. I can take a break from programming, get something else done (cook, clean, nap, exercise) and come back to it later and work 10x more efficiently. I actively try not to work for too long at a stretch.
socceroos 5y ago
76 hours was my longest stint. After repeating that ballpark of effort a few times, I burnt out. Now I can sustain maximum an hour before existential dread starts creeping back in.

7 points by hahnchen 5y ago

mikewarot 5y ago

As you get older, nature will prompt you to take frequent breaks. Other than those, I'm good for the 3 hours that google kickstart rounds take. I've always assumed you could get 4 really focused hours per day, and the rest would be admin, or non-focused work.

dusted 5y ago

If it's boring and/or stupid, around 10 minute sessions. If it's just boring, about 30 minute stretches. If it's really interesting, between 4 and 6 hours (toilet and coffee breaks included).

psyc 5y ago

Depends on what it is. my own thing: 10-14 hours in the zone, very little mental fatigue. A work thing: much closer to 10-14 minutes before I tab over to HN.

nicolaslem 5y ago
> my own thing: 10-14 hours in the zone I can relate, however I've noticed that when I do that I tend to burn out in a few days with a feeling that I don't want to ever touch the project I was working on again. Depending on one's personality it might be better to slow things down on purpose.

codingdave 5y ago

It depends on how well I know the codebase and the tech. Something newer, where I'm still in a learning curve is short, maybe a couple hours. My legacy tech and codebase that I've been hacking on for a decade, I can hack on that all day without stress or fatigue.

tluyben2 5y ago

Bogged down only happens when I am taken out of the zone or not coding, or, finally, what you mean I guess: when I am too hungry. When I start coding early morning (6-7am) and people do not interrupt, I forget to eat and the day just passes until I get really hungry in the evening. And sometimes even not even that until late. Unfortunately, interruption usually happens and the context switch will just take a bite out so then the sitting is over.

dekhn 5y ago

If there's no distractions (it's a weekend or a holiday, I have no external obligations, the family is completely gone from the house) I can sustain about 3-4 hours before I need a big break. If I'm close to a solution, maybe 6 hours. Eventually I get super hungry and so hungry I can't make forward progress.

the_only_law 5y ago

Depends on what I’m working on, but maybe 2-3 hours before I get stuck on a hard block or get bored from something. Potentially a bit more if it really into it and isolated from the environment with music or the Ballmer peak

partisan 5y ago

I have a consulting gig where I pair program with my client. We do up to a four hour session before I can’t really think too much. Unfortunately, nowadays I dont have large blocks of personal time where I also have the energy and motivation to do programming. When I had my own company, it wasn’t uncommon for me to put in 6 hours of straight development after hours since there were no distractions.

dyingkneepad 5y ago

If I'm working on an interesting problem I can stay on it an infinite number of hours. For a lot of the tasks I get at work it's 5 minutes max: I start doing it then when I realize I'm already typing this comment. Time to go back to it.

natzar 5y ago

12 hours for 2 days in a row. Less than 5 minutes breaks, when I feel like or to pee.

idontwantthis 5y ago

I used to work for long stretches, especially in an office, but now I know that when I get tired the solutions get further and further away. I can take a break from programming, get something else done (cook, clean, nap, exercise) and come back to it later and work 10x more efficiently. I actively try not to work for too long at a stretch.

socceroos 5y ago

76 hours was my longest stint. After repeating that ballpark of effort a few times, I burnt out. Now I can sustain maximum an hour before existential dread starts creeping back in.