Ask HN: "Is that work?"

You need to move to a different area. Hell, maybe a different country.

This is a bad job.

What languages do you code in / where are you based?

I've been in situations like this where people just simply don't understand what it takes to write software. The fact of the matter is that HOW things get done is so widely varied, it can be incredibly confusing to a non-coder. For example, one particular problem may take 100 lines of code and 5hrs to solve while another may take 5 hours of thinking through the problem and 10 lines of code to solve.

If you're boss doesn't understand this, chances are he never will, so like others, I would suggest you begin the search for a new job. Another option would be to return to freelancing... chance are you could still contract back to the current company while you're looking for new clients if you had to.

Alternatively, you could print out every single line of code you've written at the company and dump it on your bosses desk so he can see how much work it really is (since you mention he's extremely visual).

You should try working for a tech company where your skills are "directly" connected to the products.

It sounds like you work as a support group for the company. In my experience is usually underpaid, over-worked and the resources are not that high compared to the ones that are in the "frontline". And you rarely get notices for the great things you have done.

I used to have a similar boss who didn't understand what it was I did: he would pay me compliments for the simplest of tasks, and not acknowledge when I had done something awesome.

Anytime I had an issue like this I'd just call him on it and explain, and he'd turn around. For the record, he was a complete asshole in every possible way, not a nice guy who sadly didn't understand - but he still wasn't able to keep whining once I'd laid out why something had taken me so long.

You say you've tried to make him understand, but I suspect you just haven't gone about it the right way (partly due to your description of your reaction to his complaints).

Imagine yourself in his shoes, managing someone who's job you didn't understand, plan out what that someone would have to say to you to get you to understand. Then take that speech, work out which bits will and won't work on your boss, tailor it exactly to him. When trying to pursuade him you shouldn't be thinking on your feet straight after he's made you angry, you should already know exactly what to say.

If that fails, the thing to do before resigning is to write a letter (or email) explaining that you love your job, you love working with him, but that you are finding it so stressful you feel you will need to leave if it doesn't change. Explain exactly why you feel stressful, make it clear you understand where he's coming from, empathise with his situation, then give examples of why you work the way you work.

Draft the letter, leave it a couple of days, then write it again from scratch, then compare the two drafts for differences, and pick the best bits from each. Show it to a friend or a colleague you trust, get feedback. Think of the letter as an importent piece of art that needs to be worked on until it's perfect. Most of all, make sure you avoid giving him the impression that you blame him, dislike him, think he's stupid for not understanding your job, or anything along those lines.

On a side note, consider whether you can use any arguments along the lines of "I need to read HN to stay current with technology, to enable me to keep programming to modern standards." Maybe look around for a scientific study showing that short breaks of the kind you take actually produce a net gain In productivity, etc.