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I wonder if a similar thing can happen with non-physical pursuits (specifically, coding) if relentlessly forced to over-do one thing over a long period of time.

I wonder if a similar thing can happen with non-physical pursuits (specifically, coding) if relentlessly forced to over-do one thing over a long period of time. Overwork/over-stress early in my software development career led to a permanent reduction in my rate of being able to produce lines of code for any reason (work or personal projects). I relate to a lot what the podcast said comparing it to being a six-cylinder engine only running on four cylinders, a feeling of there being depths you have (or had) that you can't access anymore. Obviously the word "burn out" comes to mind, and certainly related to that, but burn out implies an acute condition and this is not exactly it. I never got totally burned out, it was just my rate of writing code got slower... and slower. Part of this was undiagnosed (until late in life) ADHD, and like the woman in the podcast I tried to make up for it by doubling down until I couldn't anymore. It got to the point that trying to write code was like force un-pausing a video that's buffering until the frame rate starts stuttering, or holding down the flush lever after the toilet tank is empty. Much like how the person profiled in the episode was eventually able to take up a new sport of endurance running because she can handle suffering through that but cannot do the type of running at the intense pace she used to do, I am now happily for many years employed in a government job. I have the capacity to "suffer" through months- or years-long red tape processes because it matches the reduced pace at which I can now produce lines of code - or I avoid it altogether by using my experience to solve problems in other ways.

camgunz 2y ago
> I wonder if a similar thing can happen with non-physical pursuits (specifically, coding) if relentlessly forced to over-do one thing over a long period of time. I've seen this happen to other people and mildly had it happen to me, so yeah I'm convinced it's a thing. I'm probably back to 80-85% of what I was, but it's been almost 10 years, so age (I'm now 40) has maybe made that my new ceiling. > ...experience Even though my raw LOC has declined, I'm a much better engineer than I was 10 years ago. I credit being better able to avoid big bads and pick probable right answers because of experience. I've focused on being a better systems thinker rather than like, nailing algorithms and such, and I think that's been an important part of my recovery: one using other parts of my brain and finding something else to be interested in, and two broadening my thinking.
- phaedrus 2y ago
  I am also 40. Maybe it's time to stop judging myself by the baseline of the focus I could once muster as a teenaged or 20-year-old hacker.
  - camgunz 2y ago
    I was also thinking, you know how us Xennials are like, "we can't compete with the kids in video games anymore, they have tons of free time to practice + reflexes". I think that factors in here too. When I was "peak" (:rolleyes:) I did stuff like read the C FAQ for fun. Now I have a bunch of stuff at work to do that isn't just coding. I have a bunch of things to manage in my side hustles. I have a partner and a toddler, a mortgage, etc. etc. etc. There's just more non-coding stuff crammed into my head now than there ever has been, and you've gotta think that has an impact.

camgunz 2y ago

> I wonder if a similar thing can happen with non-physical pursuits (specifically, coding) if relentlessly forced to over-do one thing over a long period of time. I've seen this happen to other people and mildly had it happen to me, so yeah I'm convinced it's a thing. I'm probably back to 80-85% of what I was, but it's been almost 10 years, so age (I'm now 40) has maybe made that my new ceiling. > ...experience Even though my raw LOC has declined, I'm a much better engineer than I was 10 years ago. I credit being better able to avoid big bads and pick probable right answers because of experience. I've focused on being a better systems thinker rather than like, nailing algorithms and such, and I think that's been an important part of my recovery: one using other parts of my brain and finding something else to be interested in, and two broadening my thinking.

phaedrus 2y ago
I am also 40. Maybe it's time to stop judging myself by the baseline of the focus I could once muster as a teenaged or 20-year-old hacker.
- camgunz 2y ago
  I was also thinking, you know how us Xennials are like, "we can't compete with the kids in video games anymore, they have tons of free time to practice + reflexes". I think that factors in here too. When I was "peak" (:rolleyes:) I did stuff like read the C FAQ for fun. Now I have a bunch of stuff at work to do that isn't just coding. I have a bunch of things to manage in my side hustles. I have a partner and a toddler, a mortgage, etc. etc. etc. There's just more non-coding stuff crammed into my head now than there ever has been, and you've gotta think that has an impact.