3 ms·

This also speaks to why Makers tend to be somewhat noctural: the default for night-time that it be uninterrupted. Not just interruptions by other people, but b

This also speaks to why Makers tend to be somewhat noctural: the default for night-time that it be uninterrupted. Not just interruptions by other people, but by our own notions of what we "should be doing", i.e. going to the post office when it's open, doing laundry, following the news, etc. Similarly, those people who have figured out that showing up to the office at 7am (or earlier) increses productivity are actually carving out Un-interrupted Time. I've found that early mornings are often a good strategy for being more productive if other things in your life conspire to deprive you of Un-interrupted Time.

bmj 17y ago
That's my experience, too. I typically work for several hours early in the morning and late in the evening, then spend between 6-8 hours in the office. Time in the office is always full of disruptions, and I often can't get into any sort of groove. When I'm alone, at home, I'm far more productive in just a few hours.
hitthewashboard 17y ago
You've got it, it absolutely is like that! It's such a subtle thing when you talk about it to people who obviously are trying to achieve things in a different mode, they'll say things like "come on, pull yourself together - you are simply not ambitious enough!" which makes you feel even more miserable and not productive. So we keep staying up all night - for a short period I managed to be able to rise at exactly 5 AM in the morning which was great but I endured it just for a month or so. You need discipline but you get much of your health back. I am working to get back in the habit again. Although nighttime has some additional quality for me which morning time doesn't seem to offer as much which is simply a higher frequency of creativity sparks (and maybe a higher error rate as well ;))
logicalmind 17y ago
The problem I've had with coming in early is that most of the people I work around are procrastinators. So if the business day is 9 to 5, they will push off most of their work to close to 5. If I come in at 7am and expect to leave at 4 it is nearly impossible because that is the busiest time of most peoples days. It is a let down if I leave "early". I end up working 7 to 5 and then can't do my usual nighttime distraction-less work because I need to get up early the next day.

bmj 17y ago

That's my experience, too. I typically work for several hours early in the morning and late in the evening, then spend between 6-8 hours in the office. Time in the office is always full of disruptions, and I often can't get into any sort of groove. When I'm alone, at home, I'm far more productive in just a few hours.

hitthewashboard 17y ago

You've got it, it absolutely is like that! It's such a subtle thing when you talk about it to people who obviously are trying to achieve things in a different mode, they'll say things like "come on, pull yourself together - you are simply not ambitious enough!" which makes you feel even more miserable and not productive. So we keep staying up all night - for a short period I managed to be able to rise at exactly 5 AM in the morning which was great but I endured it just for a month or so. You need discipline but you get much of your health back. I am working to get back in the habit again. Although nighttime has some additional quality for me which morning time doesn't seem to offer as much which is simply a higher frequency of creativity sparks (and maybe a higher error rate as well ;))

logicalmind 17y ago

The problem I've had with coming in early is that most of the people I work around are procrastinators. So if the business day is 9 to 5, they will push off most of their work to close to 5. If I come in at 7am and expect to leave at 4 it is nearly impossible because that is the busiest time of most peoples days. It is a let down if I leave "early". I end up working 7 to 5 and then can't do my usual nighttime distraction-less work because I need to get up early the next day.