Ask HN: Is it possible to have a structured work day in software dev?

It is definitely possible, but it depends on what you do, on your company culture, on the legal framework, and how easy it is to replace you. You can do one of three things:

1) Endure in your current position, not making any changes, and live with it. 2) Leave and find something else. 3) Try to change things in the company you are currently working. If that does not work, see 1 or 2.

Here's how I do option 3:

I have, from day one, always recorded my work time and kept a kind of diary in my own independent system. Keeping an independent record is valuable. Without data, there is no argument in negotiations (setting boundaries, salary, company paying courses or books...). Also track whenever you need to work on some completely new topic.

The employer can of course say that your data may be untrustworthy. Such responses try to divert your attention and keep you from recording. You should still do it. Aim for 5 minutes, possibly 10, every other day, where you record what you did. Aim for another 20 minutes each week (I use saturday or sunday) to aggregate your findings (weekly works well for me).

In any negotiation, you should bring up your conclusions. They might "performance evaluate" you, you will professionally provide them with feedback of substance. And this is where you can set boundaries, ask for books, courses, more salary and more. Provide a perspective backed by your data.* If they grant you something, ask "can I have that in writing?" if it is appropriate.

After you have done this once or twice, you can gauge whether it is a lost cause (they just do not care — then consider, strongly, to find something else) or if you helped your situation.

For me, it worked very well. I have no company phone. I am not working on call. Meetings are scheduled regularly, during my work hours, which are an established boundary (with some leeway though). My weekends and my evenings are sacred.

*) Here are some tips:

1) Be aware that managers wish their rear ends covered. 2) Do not engage in blatant, harsh criticism. Phrase it like suggestions: "we might do better if we could somehow..." or "we could prevent situations like this in the future if we...". 3) Never join into ad-hominem talk. Even if you share your co-workers or manager's opinion when they riff on somebody, criticize situations, not people. 4) Never falsify your own records (never lie to them when presenting your conclusions); if trust in your data is actively destroyed by you, there is no coming back. 5) If someone does something well, do say so. If things go well, say so. "I have noticed that X does not happen any more, it's great!" 6) It is a normal side effect that you might actually become interested in your company's well-being if you do the above. You are becoming somebody they wish to keep. 7) YOUR BOSS IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. NEITHER ARE YOUR CO-WORKERS. Always be aware of that.

These are my experiences. They might not work for you, and if so, I am sorry.

Best of luck to you!

> Your manager is bad. Really bad.

This. Find a new job. That's everything you need to know.

/e: also,

"I feel so burned out and anxious all the time, not because of overwork, but due to a lack of formal structure in my work day."

Please do it asap and treat yourself to at least two weeks of personal time before switching jobs. You're shortening your lifespan here because someone else is doing a shitty job (and I not only mean your direct manager).

> Since I'm in a leadership role now

One challenge of leadership positions is that problems get escalated to you and this comes with unplanned disruptions. If you take the attitude of the previous job that you are responsible for implementing outcomes and combine this with chaotic schedule it gets toxic. It can help to focus on taking responsibility for process and letting somewhat go of outcome. Defining and enforcing process is now more of your job and you should have or need to demand a degree of freedom here.

> where in I'm required to have nightly meetings with other teams who are outside of my timezone

You may not avoid these meetings but you may be able to cut work at other times. Saying no to meetings and requests can be scary at first but you can either learn to say no or you will be stuck on this level forever. Your job is now not just to protect yourself but also your team and organization and that critically depends on saying now.

Freelance certainly does not have to be 12 hrs a day to be successful.

The need to schedule meetings at unreasonable times is one of the drawbacks of outsourcing and globally distributed teams, no disagreement here.

It's within the (usually hard-fought for) rights of employees in many countries to refuse such meetings. Unless they explicitly signed up for such a schedule of course. However, I would be very surprised if freelancers and people in leadership positions can refuse to participate in such meetings. In turn, they usually have higher salaries.

Of course, it sucks for people in other countries not being able to refuse to work at weird times. But if they could refuse, their country would immediately be much less attractive as an outsourcing destination.

Edit: tl; dr: regular remote meetings should between people in leadership positions. Day-to-day work should be managed by local managers, else it will either suck for everybody or suck enormously for workers in the country with weaker worker rights.