9 ms·

Just go home

141 points by neilpeel 13y ago

guard-of-terra 13y ago
I have just the opposite problem - I come to work at noon, read livejournal, chat with colleagues, fix urgent problems and am only able to begin coding after five PM or even later. That's where I get my productive shift. But it feels like I'm wasting half a day.
- yareally 13y ago
  Lately, my coding productivity has been related to the time of day as well. I find myself doing more work in the evening or at night. Mainly because there's less disruptions (people) around to distract me online and offline. I could force myself back to doing more during the day, but it I would have to retrain myself since my brain is still in the mode of wanting to do other things at that point. Since the days are getting shorter here, I don't mind it so much, since I rather enjoy the Sunlight while it lasts.
  - neilpeel 13y ago
    I think that is a great way of working, by working in your most productive hours (which of course vary from person to person) you will get more done, and enjoy it more. Makes sense to me.
- neilpeel 13y ago
  Could you come in a bit later? Say at 3? Eliminate some of the "waste" but leave enough time to fix problems etc before you start your real productive shift?
  - guard-of-terra 13y ago
    To have a full work day I will need to leave for home near midnight which is not something I want to do every day. Also, colleagues genuinely need me to be in the office during standard hours for the efficient communication.
    - annnnd 13y ago
      Are you sure you are wasting your time? It could be that you are really productive BECAUSE of these hours, not in spite of them. It varies from person to person, but I need some time doing nothing to become nervous and really start working well. This is why mornings are an awful time for me to do some work..
- jacquesm 13y ago
  Wow. That's got to be the first LJ mention that I come across in a long long time.
  - guard-of-terra 13y ago
    That's because where I live, not because my peculiar tastes. I also browse VK a lot while procrastinating.
  - tobiasu 13y ago
    It's very popular in Russia.
- shubb 13y ago
  I code best after 5 too, but am fairly sure it's due to lack of distractions. Have you tried coming in on a weekend? I have to do that sometimes, and with the office empty I have the same productivity as at 6 when they have all gone home. Maybe for me, and for you? the answer is to work from home...
phryk 13y ago
I somehow got the feeling that my boss won't appreciate me just packing up my shit and strolling out on a work day…
- neilpeel 13y ago
  Unfortunately, I don't think they would either, however I believe that corporations are really missing a trick in terms of getting the most out of their employees.
- LeonM 13y ago
  That's the whole point of the writer, he is his own boss, so suddenly it matters to be productive to make money, but it no longer matters when he does it. I completely agree with the writer (being self employed). I no longer use alarm clocks, I only work when I feel like doing so and I often leave my desk to do something else to clear my head. (I can't "go home" since my office is at home). In the end, I am much more productive than I used to be when I was working for a boss. My work is also of much higher quality and I enjoy it a lot more.
hpaavola 13y ago
Doing nothing is the most draining task there is. Not only it is really boring and mind numbing, but you pretty much have to pretend like you are doing something, which is way harder than actually doing it. But since corporations pay by the hours you sit at your desk, and require you to sit at your desk, there arent too many options. I've done 80% work weeks for about 6 years now, so I actually can afford to leave right after lunch if I feel like it since I don't have to pull some crazy 14 hour day next day.
- neilpeel 13y ago
  This is SO true. It is incredibly boring to do nothing, and like you say, it can be harder work to do nothing!! I wish corporations would wise up to it, and allow their employees more responsibility and flexibility but I doubt it will happen any time soon.
  - Touche 13y ago
    It's actually kind of funny, because you have to make it look like you are working, but not working too hard. I once had a job that was seasonally busy. In the offseason there was almost nothing to do. I'd often use the opportunity to do some learning, whether a new language or new technique or just play around. But I had to be careful not to get into it, and type quietly as everyone knows there's not that much to do.
  - noptic 13y ago
    Worst job ever: During a semester break (vacation?) I worked in a factory which produced wax powder. A machine filled packages with various powders and them on a convoy belt. If a package was to heayvy or to light another mechanism pushed of the belt intpo a little bay where I was postioned. My job was correcting the packages weight and putting it back on the belt. I often had shifts where I got 3(!) package in 8 hours and I had no other dutys, and I could not bring a book or anything else to kill the time.
- nikomen 13y ago
  I've had both jobs where I could mostly work when I wanted to and also where I had to be in the office basically the entire day. I found that at the job where I had flexibility, I produced better output, and I didn't have a lot of time where I would surf the net to overcome boredom. In the inflexible environment, surfing net locations that were somewhat work related was the only thing I could do to pass by time when I knew I wasn't going to write quality code or when I was too mentally tired to accomplish the task that was at hand. I had many times where going home and returning in the morning was the best thing for trying to solve a difficult problem. Unfortunately, many employers don't care and want to fit development staff into the typical 9-5 mold even if it means reduced productivity.
reinhardt 13y ago
"I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151804/quotes?item=qt0386869 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151804/quotes?item=qt0386869
- neilpeel 13y ago
  :-)
- annnnd 13y ago
  That is a great movie, I highly recommend it! :)
- csmatt 13y ago
  I work for a software development company and one of the new hires had never even heard of Office Space. I think it brings our entire vetting process into question.
- neilpeel 13y ago
  The crazy thing is there are a lot of jobs in major corporations where you could do them over and above the expectations in 10-15 hours a week, whereas you are contracted to sit there for 40. This is a waste of resources in so many ways, and really needs to be addressed.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
droob 13y ago
See, dummy? Just make money yourself and everything's fine. FRYRHELTH.
- qwerty_asdf 13y ago
  Ya dingus!
jackgavigan 13y ago
It depends on the nature of your job. Very early in my career, I had a job manning the tech support line for an ISP. That's the sort of role where you have to be in your seat in case the phone rings. Even if you're not in a reactive role like sales or support, it may be important to be around and available to interact with or be consulted by your colleagues. In large organisations, it's rare for people to work entirely in isolation. They're usually part of a team or wider group that collaborate. If some members of the team/group keep strange hours, that can lead to delays (e.g. a quick question could end up not being answered until the following day). This is one of the downsides of offshoring work to different timezones. It's very easy and glib to say "If you're not being productive, just go home!" - and that may well be the right thing to do if you work for yourself - but keeping regular hours greases the wheels of large organisations. Besides, there are alternative methods of clearing your head. Early in my career, I found that the solution to a tough technical problem would often come to me while I was having a cigarette. I realised that the act of stepping back from the problem was what allowed me to solve it. I don't smoke anymore but I frequently get up from my desk to go for a walk around the block, pick up a coffee or just go do a bit of window-shopping for half an hour. Then I come back to my desk, refreshed, productive and still available if my clients/colleagues need to speak with me. Sometimes, I don't even need to leave my desk - I just do a bit of web-browsing and read some discussions on HN. :-)
- pintglass 13y ago
  The problem with surfing sites like HN, S.O. is that it is engaging. On one hand, if you can use the creative side of your brain, supposedly this will help you with other problems, but on the much worse side of things, you get pulled into another activity for a long time, and you never gave your mind a break. Taking a short walk is great because it doesn't take much of your brain to walk, so you can collect your thoughts. As one person on HN said some months ago, he used to have to take longer walks but now even a 5 minute walk is enough to clear his head. The worst part about this for me is that it is a small office of non-developers with a serious work ethic, so any time I step out during the day, I feel like they are looking at me like I think I'm an elitist doing whatever I want. So, I try to limit walks to times where I'm really frustrated.
ruswick 13y ago
This, like most pieces on Medium, is just an extended platitude. Having complete flexibility and ample free time is great. You know what else is great? Stable employment with a benefits. There's a reason that most people continue to operate within the established hierarchy instead of becoming self-employed: companies afford certain things to their employees that freelances do not receive. Working for yousef can be difficult and fruitless. Working for a company can be more lucrative, more secure, and easier. The latter are worth being bored with your job to many people.
- csmatt 13y ago
  Exactly what I wanted to say, but put much more eloquently!
- jader201 13y ago
  I see this argument often, and this is how I generally respond. Benefits can almost always be compensated for with more money. 401(k), heath, dental, paid time off -- all of these things are just another form of compensation. If you make enough money to make up for what you would otherwise lose, then these are no longer a reason to stay with a company. Security, on the other hand, is a bit different, but in a way can still be compensated for with money. For example, think about how long it would take you to get a job after your own company goes under. 6 months? A year? If you're able to stash enough of a buffer to cover you during that period, then you have just established security. Of course, I realize it's easier said than done to earn enough of an income on the side to make up for the monetary value of all of these benefits/security. But my point is, comparing benefits, security, and compensation as separate things overcomplicates weighing working for a company vs. working for yourself -- it all (for the most part) boils down to money.
  - badman_ting 13y ago
    I agree, but I think that means the comparison should be about the things that really are different. Like having to pester people to pay for work that you completed honestly and on-time.
  - paul_f 13y ago
cafard 13y ago
"How do you deal with your unproductive days?" I use all caps and bold letters a lot.
stitchy 13y ago
Interesting choice in wording (emphasis mine:) "I no longer have to sit at my desk pretending to complete tasks, as the only person I am cheating is myself."
nickthemagicman 13y ago
Wow. Why don't poor people just make more money? Problem solved.
hawkharris 13y ago
I no longer have to sit at my desk pretending to complete tasks, as the only person I am cheating is myself. A job is not about individuals in the workplace. It's about people contributing to an organization to make it better: asking for work when none seems to be available; helping co-workers; coming in early and staying late. Whether you work for a large corporation or you run your own company, you'll have to think about your whole team, not just yourself, to succeed. And when you think about procrastination from a group-oriented standpoint, workers always cheat themselves by pretending to work.
- jebblue 13y ago
  >> A job is not about individuals in the workplace. It's about people contributing to an organization to make it better: asking for work when none seems to be available; helping co-workers; coming in early and staying late. I was with you up to that last part where you define a job as coming in early and staying late. The hours worked do not define success especially if people are doing the kinds of things the article mentions. I come in late, hit it hard until time to leave, sometimes checking work mail in the evening but do not attempt to tell me I"m not a good worker if I'm not in the office even more hours.
  - StavrosK 13y ago
    I had the exact same reaction there. I'm doing the best I can for the company I work for during work hours, but, once my shift is done, my time is my own. I agree with the rest, and always try to go out of my way to make things better for my employer, but asking me to donate my time when it's not necessary is a needless imposition, and I do not generally take kindly to it. I can understand (and will happily agree to) working overtime when it's a) necessary b) compensated fairly and c) under the understanding that I'm changing my plans at the last minute. Everyone has emergencies, and I don't mind working a bit more to help out in one, but, in general, longer hours quickly means less productivity overall (at least for me).
  - kaeawc 13y ago
    Seconded on the hours bit. Its not about working harder (more hours), its about cooperating and coordinating with the team. We all require communication with our teams and reports etc, but that communication only needs to happen for part of the work day -- most of the day should be spent on work unless you have meetings or need to get together as a group to discuss and plan the work.
nubb 13y ago
I'd go home if my bosses policy wasn't sit here until 5:30 no matter what. I think that's fairly common, at least in the US.
agentultra 13y ago
Being self-employed can also lead to a feast-or-famine lifestyle. I know plenty of freelancers who make money for a few months and then spend the next three trying to get deals closed. That whole time they're not getting paid and are rather stressed out. The bills don't stop coming. While I agree that the nature of knowledge-based work is hindered by industrial-era work processes it is the nature of the beast that most organizations that can provide the safety net people need to raise families are not letting go of the past.
Bartweiss 13y ago
I have trouble believing that there's anyone this is of use to. Is there really a significant group of people who are wasting time pretending to work when they could genuinely choose to just go home? It was my understanding that sitting on Facebook at work generally indicates that one is expected to be present for X hours as part of their employment, and isn't willing or able to leave that job.
JulianMorrison 13y ago
I wish companies had a policy that "unproductive time is recognized as normal and if you are not productive right now, go home". As with "please take a nap if you need one", another policy that would benefit the bottom line, I believe the usual absence of this policy is more about managerial "control theater" than about actually getting paying work done.
- johncampbelljr 13y ago
  I concur but there are a lot of companies that equate butts in seats with productivity. Plenty of employers still have the mentality that they have purchased 40 hours (or more) from you. What employers should think is that they are purchasing productivity, not hours. But productivity is a harder thing to measure-far harder than just tracking hours.
  - neilpeel 13y ago
    It is harder to measure productivity, but surely even implementing a measuring system that was less than perfect would still be more beneficial to them.
penguat 13y ago
Does the writer realise the irony inherent in this? Where will most people read this from?
goshx 13y ago
So are you saying that if I work for myself I'm gonna have more time available? Also, I'll be able to work only on what I want? hmmmm
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
Urbanxassassin 13y ago
This info-graph makes Information Systems look like a shit field when it's not.
burgerz 13y ago
Yes I'll just quit my job and magically start making money from home. This site is getting shit.
marvin 13y ago
I'm really annoyed that more companies haven't realized that this could be a good idea. I've been a student for 5 years now, and this is the exact procedure I've used throughout all my studies. For me, it's an obviously superior way to get things done. When you're in the wrong type of company, it turns into an hourly grind that's more focused on being present and less on actually getting stuff done.
- neilpeel 13y ago
  This is exactly what I feel. I don't understand why more companies do not subscribe to this way of working.
yalogin 13y ago
Something weird I have seen with all medium pages is the images get rendered first and then after a few seconds of waiting the text shows up. The wait for the text is always a few seconds (4-5 seconds). Not sure why.

141 points by neilpeel 13y ago

I have just the opposite problem - I come to work at noon, read livejournal, chat with colleagues, fix urgent problems and am only able to begin coding after five PM or even later. That's where I get my productive shift. But it feels like I'm wasting half a day.

yareally 13y ago
Lately, my coding productivity has been related to the time of day as well. I find myself doing more work in the evening or at night. Mainly because there's less disruptions (people) around to distract me online and offline. I could force myself back to doing more during the day, but it I would have to retrain myself since my brain is still in the mode of wanting to do other things at that point. Since the days are getting shorter here, I don't mind it so much, since I rather enjoy the Sunlight while it lasts.
- neilpeel 13y ago
  I think that is a great way of working, by working in your most productive hours (which of course vary from person to person) you will get more done, and enjoy it more. Makes sense to me.
neilpeel 13y ago
Could you come in a bit later? Say at 3? Eliminate some of the "waste" but leave enough time to fix problems etc before you start your real productive shift?
- guard-of-terra 13y ago
  To have a full work day I will need to leave for home near midnight which is not something I want to do every day. Also, colleagues genuinely need me to be in the office during standard hours for the efficient communication.
  - annnnd 13y ago
    Are you sure you are wasting your time? It could be that you are really productive BECAUSE of these hours, not in spite of them. It varies from person to person, but I need some time doing nothing to become nervous and really start working well. This is why mornings are an awful time for me to do some work..
jacquesm 13y ago
Wow. That's got to be the first LJ mention that I come across in a long long time.
- guard-of-terra 13y ago
  That's because where I live, not because my peculiar tastes. I also browse VK a lot while procrastinating.
- tobiasu 13y ago
  It's very popular in Russia.
shubb 13y ago
I code best after 5 too, but am fairly sure it's due to lack of distractions. Have you tried coming in on a weekend? I have to do that sometimes, and with the office empty I have the same productivity as at 6 when they have all gone home. Maybe for me, and for you? the answer is to work from home...

phryk 13y ago

I somehow got the feeling that my boss won't appreciate me just packing up my shit and strolling out on a work day…

neilpeel 13y ago
Unfortunately, I don't think they would either, however I believe that corporations are really missing a trick in terms of getting the most out of their employees.
LeonM 13y ago
That's the whole point of the writer, he is his own boss, so suddenly it matters to be productive to make money, but it no longer matters when he does it. I completely agree with the writer (being self employed). I no longer use alarm clocks, I only work when I feel like doing so and I often leave my desk to do something else to clear my head. (I can't "go home" since my office is at home). In the end, I am much more productive than I used to be when I was working for a boss. My work is also of much higher quality and I enjoy it a lot more.

hpaavola 13y ago

Doing nothing is the most draining task there is. Not only it is really boring and mind numbing, but you pretty much have to pretend like you are doing something, which is way harder than actually doing it. But since corporations pay by the hours you sit at your desk, and require you to sit at your desk, there arent too many options. I've done 80% work weeks for about 6 years now, so I actually can afford to leave right after lunch if I feel like it since I don't have to pull some crazy 14 hour day next day.

neilpeel 13y ago
This is SO true. It is incredibly boring to do nothing, and like you say, it can be harder work to do nothing!! I wish corporations would wise up to it, and allow their employees more responsibility and flexibility but I doubt it will happen any time soon.
- Touche 13y ago
  It's actually kind of funny, because you have to make it look like you are working, but not working too hard. I once had a job that was seasonally busy. In the offseason there was almost nothing to do. I'd often use the opportunity to do some learning, whether a new language or new technique or just play around. But I had to be careful not to get into it, and type quietly as everyone knows there's not that much to do.
- noptic 13y ago
  Worst job ever: During a semester break (vacation?) I worked in a factory which produced wax powder. A machine filled packages with various powders and them on a convoy belt. If a package was to heayvy or to light another mechanism pushed of the belt intpo a little bay where I was postioned. My job was correcting the packages weight and putting it back on the belt. I often had shifts where I got 3(!) package in 8 hours and I had no other dutys, and I could not bring a book or anything else to kill the time.
nikomen 13y ago
I've had both jobs where I could mostly work when I wanted to and also where I had to be in the office basically the entire day. I found that at the job where I had flexibility, I produced better output, and I didn't have a lot of time where I would surf the net to overcome boredom. In the inflexible environment, surfing net locations that were somewhat work related was the only thing I could do to pass by time when I knew I wasn't going to write quality code or when I was too mentally tired to accomplish the task that was at hand. I had many times where going home and returning in the morning was the best thing for trying to solve a difficult problem. Unfortunately, many employers don't care and want to fit development staff into the typical 9-5 mold even if it means reduced productivity.

reinhardt 13y ago

"I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151804/quotes?item=qt0386869 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151804/quotes?item=qt0386869

neilpeel 13y ago
:-)
annnnd 13y ago
That is a great movie, I highly recommend it! :)
csmatt 13y ago
I work for a software development company and one of the new hires had never even heard of Office Space. I think it brings our entire vetting process into question.
neilpeel 13y ago
The crazy thing is there are a lot of jobs in major corporations where you could do them over and above the expectations in 10-15 hours a week, whereas you are contracted to sit there for 40. This is a waste of resources in so many ways, and really needs to be addressed.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

droob 13y ago

See, dummy? Just make money yourself and everything's fine. FRYRHELTH.

qwerty_asdf 13y ago
Ya dingus!

jackgavigan 13y ago

It depends on the nature of your job. Very early in my career, I had a job manning the tech support line for an ISP. That's the sort of role where you have to be in your seat in case the phone rings. Even if you're not in a reactive role like sales or support, it may be important to be around and available to interact with or be consulted by your colleagues. In large organisations, it's rare for people to work entirely in isolation. They're usually part of a team or wider group that collaborate. If some members of the team/group keep strange hours, that can lead to delays (e.g. a quick question could end up not being answered until the following day). This is one of the downsides of offshoring work to different timezones. It's very easy and glib to say "If you're not being productive, just go home!" - and that may well be the right thing to do if you work for yourself - but keeping regular hours greases the wheels of large organisations. Besides, there are alternative methods of clearing your head. Early in my career, I found that the solution to a tough technical problem would often come to me while I was having a cigarette. I realised that the act of stepping back from the problem was what allowed me to solve it. I don't smoke anymore but I frequently get up from my desk to go for a walk around the block, pick up a coffee or just go do a bit of window-shopping for half an hour. Then I come back to my desk, refreshed, productive and still available if my clients/colleagues need to speak with me. Sometimes, I don't even need to leave my desk - I just do a bit of web-browsing and read some discussions on HN. :-)

pintglass 13y ago
The problem with surfing sites like HN, S.O. is that it is engaging. On one hand, if you can use the creative side of your brain, supposedly this will help you with other problems, but on the much worse side of things, you get pulled into another activity for a long time, and you never gave your mind a break. Taking a short walk is great because it doesn't take much of your brain to walk, so you can collect your thoughts. As one person on HN said some months ago, he used to have to take longer walks but now even a 5 minute walk is enough to clear his head. The worst part about this for me is that it is a small office of non-developers with a serious work ethic, so any time I step out during the day, I feel like they are looking at me like I think I'm an elitist doing whatever I want. So, I try to limit walks to times where I'm really frustrated.

ruswick 13y ago

This, like most pieces on Medium, is just an extended platitude. Having complete flexibility and ample free time is great. You know what else is great? Stable employment with a benefits. There's a reason that most people continue to operate within the established hierarchy instead of becoming self-employed: companies afford certain things to their employees that freelances do not receive. Working for yousef can be difficult and fruitless. Working for a company can be more lucrative, more secure, and easier. The latter are worth being bored with your job to many people.

csmatt 13y ago
Exactly what I wanted to say, but put much more eloquently!
jader201 13y ago
I see this argument often, and this is how I generally respond. Benefits can almost always be compensated for with more money. 401(k), heath, dental, paid time off -- all of these things are just another form of compensation. If you make enough money to make up for what you would otherwise lose, then these are no longer a reason to stay with a company. Security, on the other hand, is a bit different, but in a way can still be compensated for with money. For example, think about how long it would take you to get a job after your own company goes under. 6 months? A year? If you're able to stash enough of a buffer to cover you during that period, then you have just established security. Of course, I realize it's easier said than done to earn enough of an income on the side to make up for the monetary value of all of these benefits/security. But my point is, comparing benefits, security, and compensation as separate things overcomplicates weighing working for a company vs. working for yourself -- it all (for the most part) boils down to money.
- badman_ting 13y ago
  I agree, but I think that means the comparison should be about the things that really are different. Like having to pester people to pay for work that you completed honestly and on-time.
- paul_f 13y ago

cafard 13y ago

"How do you deal with your unproductive days?" I use all caps and bold letters a lot.

stitchy 13y ago

Interesting choice in wording (emphasis mine:) "I no longer have to sit at my desk pretending to complete tasks, as the only person I am cheating is myself."

nickthemagicman 13y ago

Wow. Why don't poor people just make more money? Problem solved.

hawkharris 13y ago

I no longer have to sit at my desk pretending to complete tasks, as the only person I am cheating is myself. A job is not about individuals in the workplace. It's about people contributing to an organization to make it better: asking for work when none seems to be available; helping co-workers; coming in early and staying late. Whether you work for a large corporation or you run your own company, you'll have to think about your whole team, not just yourself, to succeed. And when you think about procrastination from a group-oriented standpoint, workers always cheat themselves by pretending to work.

jebblue 13y ago
>> A job is not about individuals in the workplace. It's about people contributing to an organization to make it better: asking for work when none seems to be available; helping co-workers; coming in early and staying late. I was with you up to that last part where you define a job as coming in early and staying late. The hours worked do not define success especially if people are doing the kinds of things the article mentions. I come in late, hit it hard until time to leave, sometimes checking work mail in the evening but do not attempt to tell me I"m not a good worker if I'm not in the office even more hours.
- StavrosK 13y ago
  I had the exact same reaction there. I'm doing the best I can for the company I work for during work hours, but, once my shift is done, my time is my own. I agree with the rest, and always try to go out of my way to make things better for my employer, but asking me to donate my time when it's not necessary is a needless imposition, and I do not generally take kindly to it. I can understand (and will happily agree to) working overtime when it's a) necessary b) compensated fairly and c) under the understanding that I'm changing my plans at the last minute. Everyone has emergencies, and I don't mind working a bit more to help out in one, but, in general, longer hours quickly means less productivity overall (at least for me).
- kaeawc 13y ago
  Seconded on the hours bit. Its not about working harder (more hours), its about cooperating and coordinating with the team. We all require communication with our teams and reports etc, but that communication only needs to happen for part of the work day -- most of the day should be spent on work unless you have meetings or need to get together as a group to discuss and plan the work.

nubb 13y ago

I'd go home if my bosses policy wasn't sit here until 5:30 no matter what. I think that's fairly common, at least in the US.

agentultra 13y ago

Being self-employed can also lead to a feast-or-famine lifestyle. I know plenty of freelancers who make money for a few months and then spend the next three trying to get deals closed. That whole time they're not getting paid and are rather stressed out. The bills don't stop coming. While I agree that the nature of knowledge-based work is hindered by industrial-era work processes it is the nature of the beast that most organizations that can provide the safety net people need to raise families are not letting go of the past.

Bartweiss 13y ago

I have trouble believing that there's anyone this is of use to. Is there really a significant group of people who are wasting time pretending to work when they could genuinely choose to just go home? It was my understanding that sitting on Facebook at work generally indicates that one is expected to be present for X hours as part of their employment, and isn't willing or able to leave that job.

JulianMorrison 13y ago

I wish companies had a policy that "unproductive time is recognized as normal and if you are not productive right now, go home". As with "please take a nap if you need one", another policy that would benefit the bottom line, I believe the usual absence of this policy is more about managerial "control theater" than about actually getting paying work done.

johncampbelljr 13y ago
I concur but there are a lot of companies that equate butts in seats with productivity. Plenty of employers still have the mentality that they have purchased 40 hours (or more) from you. What employers should think is that they are purchasing productivity, not hours. But productivity is a harder thing to measure-far harder than just tracking hours.
- neilpeel 13y ago
  It is harder to measure productivity, but surely even implementing a measuring system that was less than perfect would still be more beneficial to them.

penguat 13y ago

Does the writer realise the irony inherent in this? Where will most people read this from?

goshx 13y ago

So are you saying that if I work for myself I'm gonna have more time available? Also, I'll be able to work only on what I want? hmmmm

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

Urbanxassassin 13y ago

This info-graph makes Information Systems look like a shit field when it's not.

burgerz 13y ago

Yes I'll just quit my job and magically start making money from home. This site is getting shit.

marvin 13y ago

I'm really annoyed that more companies haven't realized that this could be a good idea. I've been a student for 5 years now, and this is the exact procedure I've used throughout all my studies. For me, it's an obviously superior way to get things done. When you're in the wrong type of company, it turns into an hourly grind that's more focused on being present and less on actually getting stuff done.

neilpeel 13y ago
This is exactly what I feel. I don't understand why more companies do not subscribe to this way of working.

yalogin 13y ago

Something weird I have seen with all medium pages is the images get rendered first and then after a few seconds of waiting the text shows up. The wait for the text is always a few seconds (4-5 seconds). Not sure why.