5 ms·

>But managers don't care (and many co-workers also). i bet 99% of time people are interrupting themselves. Like i just did to browse HN.

gleenn 4y ago
People definitely need some distractions but for me it's definitely not 99% of the time. Also, I could argue sometimes the solitaire game between coding stints is actually loading up your brain with some software thoughts, and then giving it a little break to process. Sometimes it takes a day for me to come back and feel like my brain has reconciled some details of a hard problem and only then can I make progress.
Eddy_Viscosity2 4y ago
A momentary distraction like a quick HN check is not the same as the context switching of, for example, going to a budget meeting while in the middle of trying to figure out some technical detail. Very different things.
- Turing_Machine 4y ago
  Agree completely. A self-determined break is an entirely different thing from being interrupted by other people.
- onion2k 4y ago
  The difference is scheduling and autonomy. If you had "HN Time" blocked out in your calendar it'd be just as distracting as a budgeting meeting. HN only is different because you can choose when to be distracted by it, and you're happy to say no to it. If you could control when the budget meeting happens, or if you could decline it, you'd have far fewer issues with it.
nequo 4y ago
> i bet 99% of time people are interrupting themselves. Like i just did to browse HN. I don't know about you but I am here on a pomodoro break between two tasks.
rvba 4y ago
There are people who dont care about you, nor your work - who will interrupt you because they only think about themselves. Then there is a group of dicks who do it on purpose.
jamal-kumar 4y ago
For me I have to for health reasons. If you don't get up and walk around, at least 15 minutes of light to moderate exercise per hour seated, you will suffer bad health effects. Stuff that can end your life early and in painful ways. I find walking around every hour or two for a while to collect my thoughts about what I'm working on is still something I can make productive. I bring a notebook with me to do some notes if there's more than I can fit in my head, which is pretty usual. It's a good way to get some planning in.
neogodless 4y ago
I interrupt myself all the time, when I'm bored and easily able to distract myself. I interrupt myself when I'm in the flow absolutely never!

gleenn 4y ago

People definitely need some distractions but for me it's definitely not 99% of the time. Also, I could argue sometimes the solitaire game between coding stints is actually loading up your brain with some software thoughts, and then giving it a little break to process. Sometimes it takes a day for me to come back and feel like my brain has reconciled some details of a hard problem and only then can I make progress.

Eddy_Viscosity2 4y ago

A momentary distraction like a quick HN check is not the same as the context switching of, for example, going to a budget meeting while in the middle of trying to figure out some technical detail. Very different things.

Turing_Machine 4y ago
Agree completely. A self-determined break is an entirely different thing from being interrupted by other people.
onion2k 4y ago
The difference is scheduling and autonomy. If you had "HN Time" blocked out in your calendar it'd be just as distracting as a budgeting meeting. HN only is different because you can choose when to be distracted by it, and you're happy to say no to it. If you could control when the budget meeting happens, or if you could decline it, you'd have far fewer issues with it.

nequo 4y ago

> i bet 99% of time people are interrupting themselves. Like i just did to browse HN. I don't know about you but I am here on a pomodoro break between two tasks.

rvba 4y ago

There are people who dont care about you, nor your work - who will interrupt you because they only think about themselves. Then there is a group of dicks who do it on purpose.

jamal-kumar 4y ago

For me I have to for health reasons. If you don't get up and walk around, at least 15 minutes of light to moderate exercise per hour seated, you will suffer bad health effects. Stuff that can end your life early and in painful ways. I find walking around every hour or two for a while to collect my thoughts about what I'm working on is still something I can make productive. I bring a notebook with me to do some notes if there's more than I can fit in my head, which is pretty usual. It's a good way to get some planning in.

neogodless 4y ago

I interrupt myself all the time, when I'm bored and easily able to distract myself. I interrupt myself when I'm in the flow absolutely never!