4 ms·

The most productive hours at work for me has either been things I'm doing for the third time OR 15 minutes after I've left for the day after 8 hours of going in

by Verdex 4y ago

The most productive hours at work for me has either been things I'm doing for the third time OR 15 minutes after I've left for the day after 8 hours of going in circles.

marginalia_nu 4y ago
Privately, some of my most productive development has been when my girlfriend and I had separate apartments. I'd spend days working on problems undisturbed at my place, and then I'd go visit her for a few days (bringing no computer). I always came back to my apartment full of inspiration, with half a notebook full of ideas and plans, which I'd spend the next days implementing, while spawning new background jobs that would mature the next time I was AFK. Rinse and repeat. Something about this set-up was just insanely good for my productivity. I was much more productive than periods I didn't have these forced breaks away from input.
- Nevermark 4y ago
  You just reminded me that I have also experienced a two location split week, with one side consistently in isolation. It was a wonderfully creative & productive situation.
- tpoacher 4y ago
  Indirectly this also betrays the kind of job where you had the "luxury" of being in a position to be able to take such forced breaks in the first place. This is already a good situation to be with regard to burnout. I'd love to do this (and try to when I can), but more often than not it's a balancing act between "rest but fall behind" vs "don't rest but catch-up".
  - marginalia_nu 4y ago
    While there's some element of privilege involved, I wouldn't have been able to ever work like this if I wasn't willing to take risks that many would consider too much. But the pay-off from taking those types of risks also (sometimes) ends up opening doors for more unconventional career steps. I'm grant funded for the next year, and after that I have some savings to live off that may last another year or so (maybe less if this inflation keeps up), but after that I haven't got a singular clue where my money is coming from. But I also don't have kids, and don't want any either. If I had or wanted, none of this would be possible. I'd definitely choose the golden handcuffs in that counterfatual.

by Verdex 4y ago

The most productive hours at work for me has either been things I'm doing for the third time OR 15 minutes after I've left for the day after 8 hours of going in circles.

marginalia_nu 4y ago

Privately, some of my most productive development has been when my girlfriend and I had separate apartments. I'd spend days working on problems undisturbed at my place, and then I'd go visit her for a few days (bringing no computer). I always came back to my apartment full of inspiration, with half a notebook full of ideas and plans, which I'd spend the next days implementing, while spawning new background jobs that would mature the next time I was AFK. Rinse and repeat. Something about this set-up was just insanely good for my productivity. I was much more productive than periods I didn't have these forced breaks away from input.

Nevermark 4y ago
You just reminded me that I have also experienced a two location split week, with one side consistently in isolation. It was a wonderfully creative & productive situation.
tpoacher 4y ago
Indirectly this also betrays the kind of job where you had the "luxury" of being in a position to be able to take such forced breaks in the first place. This is already a good situation to be with regard to burnout. I'd love to do this (and try to when I can), but more often than not it's a balancing act between "rest but fall behind" vs "don't rest but catch-up".
- marginalia_nu 4y ago
  While there's some element of privilege involved, I wouldn't have been able to ever work like this if I wasn't willing to take risks that many would consider too much. But the pay-off from taking those types of risks also (sometimes) ends up opening doors for more unconventional career steps. I'm grant funded for the next year, and after that I have some savings to live off that may last another year or so (maybe less if this inflation keeps up), but after that I haven't got a singular clue where my money is coming from. But I also don't have kids, and don't want any either. If I had or wanted, none of this would be possible. I'd definitely choose the golden handcuffs in that counterfatual.