5 ms·

Some of the most capable people I've ever worked with have been "bursty" in that they would go through intense periods of high value output and then need to alm

Some of the most capable people I've ever worked with have been "bursty" in that they would go through intense periods of high value output and then need to almost go dormant for a while to reset. As long as the "high value" phase was uniquely and significantly valuable it wasn't a problem so long as management understood and planned their assignments appropriately.

BatteryMountain 5y ago
I'm like this. Not just in a commercial context, but also at home with pet projects. I go through phases of being extremely creative with things I come up with, for about 2 or 3 days, then I go back to normal for about 30 to 60 days before I get to that state again. Luckily I've been able to notice this behavioural quirk so I try to code/write as much as possible down to use as building block to use on my "boring" days, but sometimes it feels like I cannot remember doing it or it was a different person doing it, kinda baffling to be honest. During the bursty periods, it affects both my creativity and the amount of work I output. I haven't found a way to trigger/force myself into this state yet. I've tried different sleeping patterns, food, sex, drugs & caffeine, different kinds of music etc, to no effect. Music has come the closest to getting me to that feeling/state. Anyone else have more things to try?
- BatteryMountain 5y ago
  I have to note that I've been diagnosed with Adult ADHD earlier this by a psychiatrist. No bipolar, depression, anxiety behaviours present.
  - MaxDPS 5y ago
    I was just about to say that sounds very adhd like (I’m diagnosed as well). Have you tried adhd medication? Not sure if that was inferred by your comment on drugs.
    - BatteryMountain 5y ago
      Yeah. Concerta messed me up so badly for about a week, then I stopped taking it. I want to try Vivance but it is not available in my country.
tux3 5y ago
Not to lean too much into my armchair, but the phenomenon you describe sounds like some mild form of bipolar. Periods of very high output, and then periods of slump. Not much of a long term stable in-between. I wouldn't be surprised if that's very effective for the right kind of project.
- rramadass 5y ago
  >some mild form of bipolar Please no; we don't have to stigmatize normal waxing and waning of mental/physical energy. There are a lot of "normal" factors involved in any Individual's productivity and pathology should be consulted only as the last resort.
  - hallway_monitor 5y ago
    Thank you. Everyone has up days and down days. Some of them can even be kind of extreme like not wanting to get out of bed. Variation is normal, we are not robots.
- kayodelycaon 5y ago
  I am bipolar and this is completely wrong. People have variable output. Motivation comes and goes. Live circumstances change. People burn out. These are not bipolar. The name "bipolar" is very misleading. One book I've read has called with multipolar disorder, which is far more accurate. There isn't just mania or depression. There is a whole world of possible dysfunctions that come with it: Anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, psychosis, and the list continues. There can be different moods, stages, and flavors of mania and depression in one person! On top of this, these symptoms need to be severe enough to impair normal daily function to be diagnosed.
mbot5324 5y ago
I'd like to think I'm capable, but whatever I am, it's certainly bursty with periods of dormancy. To the other comment, it's probably on the bipoloar spectrum. Some of it is self-inflicted. Most of it isn't. Before covid, I'd had 2 managers who knew something of what I was dealing with and gave me the space to deal with it and encouragement that my work was good enough often enough not to worry. With some 5+ other managers, I believe I successfully masked it and that it would have threatened my job had I failed. In the remote world, it takes almost no work at all to manage around my work schedule. I don't even feel like I'm masking anything, just living. Weirdest part is I've now fallen into a far more social role. Who would have thought remote work had such hidden benefits? /...almost everyone
- rStar 5y ago
  congratulations on finding a comfortable way to work that works for you, allows you to be productive, as well as more socially fulfilled. as someone currently attempting to find a nice niche for myself as well, much respect.
deleted 5y ago
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BatteryMountain 5y ago

I'm like this. Not just in a commercial context, but also at home with pet projects. I go through phases of being extremely creative with things I come up with, for about 2 or 3 days, then I go back to normal for about 30 to 60 days before I get to that state again. Luckily I've been able to notice this behavioural quirk so I try to code/write as much as possible down to use as building block to use on my "boring" days, but sometimes it feels like I cannot remember doing it or it was a different person doing it, kinda baffling to be honest. During the bursty periods, it affects both my creativity and the amount of work I output. I haven't found a way to trigger/force myself into this state yet. I've tried different sleeping patterns, food, sex, drugs & caffeine, different kinds of music etc, to no effect. Music has come the closest to getting me to that feeling/state. Anyone else have more things to try?

BatteryMountain 5y ago
I have to note that I've been diagnosed with Adult ADHD earlier this by a psychiatrist. No bipolar, depression, anxiety behaviours present.
- MaxDPS 5y ago
  I was just about to say that sounds very adhd like (I’m diagnosed as well). Have you tried adhd medication? Not sure if that was inferred by your comment on drugs.
  - BatteryMountain 5y ago
    Yeah. Concerta messed me up so badly for about a week, then I stopped taking it. I want to try Vivance but it is not available in my country.

tux3 5y ago

Not to lean too much into my armchair, but the phenomenon you describe sounds like some mild form of bipolar. Periods of very high output, and then periods of slump. Not much of a long term stable in-between. I wouldn't be surprised if that's very effective for the right kind of project.

rramadass 5y ago
>some mild form of bipolar Please no; we don't have to stigmatize normal waxing and waning of mental/physical energy. There are a lot of "normal" factors involved in any Individual's productivity and pathology should be consulted only as the last resort.
- hallway_monitor 5y ago
  Thank you. Everyone has up days and down days. Some of them can even be kind of extreme like not wanting to get out of bed. Variation is normal, we are not robots.
kayodelycaon 5y ago
I am bipolar and this is completely wrong. People have variable output. Motivation comes and goes. Live circumstances change. People burn out. These are not bipolar. The name "bipolar" is very misleading. One book I've read has called with multipolar disorder, which is far more accurate. There isn't just mania or depression. There is a whole world of possible dysfunctions that come with it: Anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, psychosis, and the list continues. There can be different moods, stages, and flavors of mania and depression in one person! On top of this, these symptoms need to be severe enough to impair normal daily function to be diagnosed.

mbot5324 5y ago

I'd like to think I'm capable, but whatever I am, it's certainly bursty with periods of dormancy. To the other comment, it's probably on the bipoloar spectrum. Some of it is self-inflicted. Most of it isn't. Before covid, I'd had 2 managers who knew something of what I was dealing with and gave me the space to deal with it and encouragement that my work was good enough often enough not to worry. With some 5+ other managers, I believe I successfully masked it and that it would have threatened my job had I failed. In the remote world, it takes almost no work at all to manage around my work schedule. I don't even feel like I'm masking anything, just living. Weirdest part is I've now fallen into a far more social role. Who would have thought remote work had such hidden benefits? /...almost everyone

rStar 5y ago
congratulations on finding a comfortable way to work that works for you, allows you to be productive, as well as more socially fulfilled. as someone currently attempting to find a nice niche for myself as well, much respect.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]