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#jobs-discuss
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2020-08-11
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jiriknesl03:08:55

How does 4x10 works for developers? I have some 3 highly creative/productive hours per day, 2 hours per day to be spent by some easier development and the rest goes to meetings, e-mails, speaking with Product Owner. It totals to 8. I doubt I could easily add 2 more productive hours to this. Maybe, it’s only me but I think every employer who would agree with 4x10 instead of 5x8 doesn’t understand how creative people work.

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seancorfield04:08:03

@jiriknesl I think it depends on the individual. When I'm in flow, I find it very hard to stop what I'm working on. I deal with all my administrivia in the morning: I clear my inbox, I catch up on ClojureVerse, Reddit, Slack, etc. I plan out my work for the day (either selecting JIRA tickets to work on, or setting back up yesterday's environment if I'm mid-ticket). I might do some log analysis or other data collection and write that up. Then we have our daily stand-up, then I set up everything I plan to work on in the afternoon, then lunch, and then I settle it to work with no interruptions and I'll work for 4-6 uninterrupted hours most days.

seancorfield04:08:41

So, yeah, I could easily shift to a 4x10 routine instead of 5x8. It's why I feel comfortable spending up to one afternoon a week working on the various OSS projects that I maintain (all of which we use at work so it's "work adjacent" anyway).

jiriknesl07:08:55

Maybe, you’re more energetic person than me. For me, even when I try my hardest, the sustainable rate of “doing the hardest creative work” is some 3 hours per day + 2 easier dev work + 3 hours nondev work. A had a slight burnout many years ago. Before that, I believe I was able to do way more (maybe 5-6 hours of concentrated work + 2 easier + 3 non-dev work). It might be the reason. The other reason might be I was in my 20s and now I am closer to my 40s than to my 20s.

seancorfield16:08:13

I'm nearly 60, and I've also experienced burnout but I attribute that to the job itself, or perhaps more to that job's environment. I've worked from home full time for ten years now which also really helps me stay in flow, since I have much more control over my environment and when I actually work.

jiriknesl03:08:18

It might be the reason. I must say I don’t have environment that supports deep work (flow) even when I work from home. Until recently, my little sons were at home.

seancorfield03:08:20

Ah, I've heard that children can disrupt flow 🙂 I only have cats to deal with and they can be very relaxing and therapeutic.

seancorfield03:08:47

(they can also be destructive monsters too, at times, and a couple of mine can be very demanding...)

seancorfield04:08:55

My only reason not to do that would be that in order to really get 10 hours days in, I'd want to get up an hour or so early so I was only working an hour or so past my current time, to avoid eating into my evenings watching TV with my partner (and answering questions on the Internet 🙂 ) -- and I'm just not a morning person! The biggest benefit, for me, of working from home (our company is 100% remote) is that I can roll out of bed at 8:45 am, make a coffee, and be at my desk by 9 am to start work -- instead of commuting.

seancorfield04:08:30

Sometimes, I just can't get into flow -- and I'll let my team know I'm taking off early because I'm not being productive. Other days I'll work later because I want to get something finished. It all balances out.

sveri06:08:27

I cannot imagine 10 hours a day. Even 8 is hard for me because of all the sitting. I need to move my body, drive bycicle, go for walk, work in the garden. Sitting at home two days in a row without moving much (which happens sometimes because I want to work and work on my personal stuff) is fun, but I feel physically horrible after two days. I don't know how others do that in general, short workout routines can get me over the day, but a whole week, I don't know.

Aron07:08:10

Same here. The chair is a killer. Or just staring at a screen, even with regular breaks, gives me a headache if I overdo it. I can imagine it working if I were to drastically reduce the amount of stuff I do beyond my work, basically, working 10 hours a day to some company would mean that I dedicated that day from my life to that work. Sometimes necessary, but I could only imagine being so singularly occupied, if I were to live in a world where I could have some trust in the future, trust that surprises due to my lack of involvement in other things would be mostly pleasant.

mpenet07:08:26

Yeah it's better to avoid sitting altogether

mpenet07:08:47

About physical activity, I also think it's crucial with the job we do.

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Aron07:08:45

I wish I could code while walking

Aleksander08:08:37

Anyone tried under the desk treadmills?

mpenet08:08:01

Seems over the top

mpenet08:08:36

I don't think it is worth it personally

Vincent Cantin08:08:47

For mywork at the office, meanly sitting. For work and personal stuffs at home, long sofa where I stretch and take naps, my position is in between sitting and laying. The sofa is paradoxally where I write the most.

Chris McCormick08:08:31

walking is the best time to code. when you're at your desk is just for typing it in. 😎

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Vincent Cantin08:08:54

Sleeping works the best for me. Every evening with no exception, I give myself a problem or subject to think about. It helps me to sleep and I have ideas when I wake up.

Aron08:08:56

I do not have that kind of memory 😄

Aron08:08:46

I tried recording voice, but I don't want to talk to myself out loud in public, it bothers others and it bothers me. I need something like an input glove and some seeing glasses with embedded display, doesn't have to be too good, it's not for AR.

orestis10:08:35

I used to dictate to my iPhone. It’s not half bad for taking notes that I can easily skim after.

practicalli-johnny13:08:23

I do most of my coding at a standing desk, it's great for posture and concentration, it also encourages regular breaks to stretch (especially my knees). When thinking (hammock time) I do like to walk or cycle, thinking about the bigger ideas or reflecting on design choices. Although on occasion I have coded in my head.

practicalli-johnny13:08:49

I have a notes app, orgly, on my phone which is good for notes and am getting used to using voice dictation (not while cycling though)

synthomat18:08:53

working at a standing desk with headphones on I eventually start dancing and I’m always wondering if it distracts anyone sitting close to me 😅

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