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Ask HN: Are most of us developers lying about how much work we do?

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Re: Ask HN: Are most of us developers lying about how much work we do?

#871

Post by Forge36 »

jesuis_14 wrote: post #200

In the last year or two, I have not "worked" more than 1-2 hours a day on average--some days for a grand total of zero hours. The quote/unquote is not there by accident. I manage a team and some projects, and most of the time I let other people do the technical work while I get to chat with higher ups or give some general direction on where the work should go. I consider myself very competent in my field even though…

If you're managing a team, they like you, and you're being productive then I wouldn't consider it a parasite. A good manager who helps when needed and stays out of the way when I'm working is amazing.

Re: Ask HN: Are most of us developers lying about how much work we do?

#872

Post by bsenftner »

ploxiln wrote: post #717

> Do people regularly run into coworkers like me during their career and simply ignore it because they find it too awkward to criticize them? Have I just been incredibly lucky and every boss I have had is too incompetent to notice? Do I have imposter syndrome and I am actually a 10x developer whose laziness makes them a 1x developer? Lazy developers don't really bother me, if you do a couple hours of high-quality wor…

Stupid and industrious is exactly the crypto/NFT population. They are smart in code, but zeros in financial literacy, and zeros in complex social dynamics - the perfect rubes to promote hazy, social frauds.

Re: Ask HN: Are most of us developers lying about how much work we do?

#873

Post by yunohn »

sharkbird2 wrote: post #870

As a software developer who has worked within the university world for about 15 years, this seems very common to me. In my experience, most developers don't actually DO very much. They do some small thing here and there, but they mostly just coast their way through the weeks. That seems to be about 80% of all developers & syadmins. Then you have the other 20% which are actually really hard working & productive and ar…

> That seems to be about 80% of all developers & syadmins. Then you have the other 20% which are actually really hard working & productive and are basically carrying the rest on their shoulders.

Honestly, this is true for the whole of society.

Re: Ask HN: Are most of us developers lying about how much work we do?

#875

Post by throwaway934876 »

robmccoll wrote: post #867
ploxiln wrote: post #717

> Do people regularly run into coworkers like me during their career and simply ignore it because they find it too awkward to criticize them? Have I just been incredibly lucky and every boss I have had is too incompetent to notice? Do I have imposter syndrome and I am actually a 10x developer whose laziness makes them a 1x developer? Lazy developers don't really bother me, if you do a couple hours of high-quality wor…

Yes! I bucket people into paddling the right direction, sitting in the boat, and paddling the wrong way. With enough momentum, you can tolerate the people that are sitting in the boat. Sometimes they have good reasons and it's temporary. The people always actively working against progress need to be overboard. Smaller teams may need all paddlers. I'd like to think I'm always paddling and usually the right direction.

I'm like OP, I feel like I paddle along, minimal effort, then sometimes I take some strong strokes and get many of the people that work "the wrong way" to paddle the right way for some strokes and I can continue on momentum for another couple of months.

When I'm not 100% sure I'm paddling the right way or management wants me to paddle the wrong way, I don't really peddle, I complain and start playing around with fun tech that I think is the right way. Then when the time comes, I makes some powerful strokes again (aided by the new knowledge from playing).

This is going to sound cocky but I feel that I'm pretty good at determining what the right way is, and that is the reason I get away with it. It's like I'm slowly walking by a wall, feeling where it is weakest for months on end, then I make one big push, it falls, things change, I make noise, people appreciate it and understand this is the right way. Lead by example it's been called.

To be clear, I consider the wrong way usually the ineffective way. Ie in our org many people write many one-off scripts, I always try to focus on creating re-useable assets following global standards. I promote innersource because it's fun but also because it enabled other devs to make my CI/CD pipelines. I'm lazy but I think in a good way.

Re: Ask HN: Are most of us developers lying about how much work we do?

#876

Post by jesuis_14 »

raihansaputra wrote: post #696
jesuis_14 wrote: post #200

In the last year or two, I have not "worked" more than 1-2 hours a day on average--some days for a grand total of zero hours. The quote/unquote is not there by accident. I manage a team and some projects, and most of the time I let other people do the technical work while I get to chat with higher ups or give some general direction on where the work should go. I consider myself very competent in my field even though…

What is your title/job description? Are you more of a team lead/engineering manager?

It is a technical director of engineering position, but as we know jobs are more nuanced than the title they have

Re: Ask HN: Are most of us developers lying about how much work we do?

#877

Post by jesuis_14 »

bitcoinmoney wrote: post #736
jesuis_14 wrote: post #200

In the last year or two, I have not "worked" more than 1-2 hours a day on average--some days for a grand total of zero hours. The quote/unquote is not there by accident. I manage a team and some projects, and most of the time I let other people do the technical work while I get to chat with higher ups or give some general direction on where the work should go. I consider myself very competent in my field even though…

Can you say salary too?

Between 200k and 250k Euros depending on bonuses and value of shares

Re: Ask HN: Are most of us developers lying about how much work we do?

#878

Post by sirwitti »

I think that it's an illusion for developers (or any creative for that matter) to be productive for most of the time we spend on work.

However large or small the actual number is, and what exactly being productive means - I don't know.

I also believe that not your life revolving around other things apart from development is a good thing.

Re: Ask HN: Are most of us developers lying about how much work we do?

#879

Post by konfusinomicon »

a9h74j wrote: post #654
oceanghost wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most of the best ideas I've had in my career were in the shower before work. The problem is making that a regular occurrence.

The new WFS trend -- Work From Shower.

could make for some awkward zoom meetings

Re: Ask HN: Are most of us developers lying about how much work we do?

#880

Post by mathteddybear »

jesuis_14 wrote: post #200

In the last year or two, I have not "worked" more than 1-2 hours a day on average--some days for a grand total of zero hours. The quote/unquote is not there by accident. I manage a team and some projects, and most of the time I let other people do the technical work while I get to chat with higher ups or give some general direction on where the work should go. I consider myself very competent in my field even though…

Ever thought it might be a carrot to dangle to ICs "look at them yo-yos! that's the way to do it! if you work hard and stay in this company, you could be able to enjoy 2-hour week work, too! No need to break away and start a start-up or anything that risky"
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