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A connection between after-hours work and decreased productivity

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Re: A connection between after-hours work and decreased productivity

#71
1998 article with quotes from Jim Goodnight, CEO of analytics software company SAS: One big difference is that Goodnight and most of his staff work a 35-hour week. "We want people to go home and be with their families," he says. "This will make them more productive when they are at work. I would prefer that rather than have them non-productive for 12 months while they are getting over a divorce."

https://www.afr.com/companies/fewer-rising-to-technologys-gr...

Re: A connection between after-hours work and decreased productivity

#72
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree with some of this. I think if you work with international teams, half of the time of day stuff is in play no matter what. But in general I sort of agree that we should all try to work slower/work fewer hours, for the good of society. But we shouldn’t harass those who have more time and interest in the work they’re doing and want to work more, or those who might need more breaks or work most optimally at a…

Fully agree. If you have international teams, they shouldn't be working on the same project, if it can be avoided. Having teams with different working hours work the same project sabotages communications.

At large companies, it's unavoidable to a certain degree. In my case, it's mostly East Coast to Europe though which is pretty manageable. Asia to US is definitely tough. You're either going to have people on late-night calls or getting up in the middle of the night. It works for the odd sync but is tough on a regular basis.

Re: A connection between after-hours work and decreased productivity

#73

Investment banker here. The culture of software/tech better valuing work life balance is alluring. Whats described in the article is pretty alien to me. I typically have 4-6 hours of meetings a day (client calls) and am also expected to do 6+ hours of document/email work a day on top of that. I have to do somewhere between 2-10 hrs of work every weekend. It is impossible to keep up, so i am always disappointing someb…

If you don't already know how to code, then it wouldn't be easy. Development isn't just another kind of job you can get trained for (unless you make very little and do things that would get outsourced). It's a skill that takes time and experience to grow into. That said, it's never "too late" for anything in life, if you find it interesting then try contributing to various github projects or even start your own.

I think software development is probably relatively easier to slide into than deciding you really want to become a mechanical or chemical engineer. As you say, it's something you can potentially do a bit on the side.

That said, per another comment, as long as the pay is ridiculously good--which odds are it won't actually be by starting over with a tech company--waiting it out and avoiding lifestyle inflation isn't the worst plan. One of my classmates in school retired from investment banking in his 40s and travels and teaches a bit on the side.

Re: A connection between after-hours work and decreased productivity

#74

The irony of Slack writing about productivity is not lost on me. "The productivity pit: how Slack is ruining work": https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/5/1/18511575/productivity-sl...

This! If there’s any technology that has enabled and normalized after-hours work it’s got to be slack, perhaps even more so than email.

Re: A connection between after-hours work and decreased productivity

#75
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Notice how even if you are an early bird and in the office by 9, you are a lazy slacker when you leave at 5? Then someone rolls in at 11 and leaves at 7 - same number of hours. HARD WORKER. So I generally agree with your post, but is this what constitutes early riser these days? I get having kids and missing the key 7-9am time slot, but is an 11am start time a Usual Thing?

People regularly walk in from the street just in time for that 10:30 standup. Then it's 11, then they get ready for the day, then it's lunch time. Then it's lunch coma. Then by 3PM they start gaining speed. By that time, I am already exhausted.

If I get in at 11 it usually means I’ve already done stuff at home, probably between 8 and 10. Getting in late doesn’t mean that they’re starting late.

Re: A connection between after-hours work and decreased productivity

#76
post #67

Investment banker here. The culture of software/tech better valuing work life balance is alluring. Whats described in the article is pretty alien to me. I typically have 4-6 hours of meetings a day (client calls) and am also expected to do 6+ hours of document/email work a day on top of that. I have to do somewhere between 2-10 hrs of work every weekend. It is impossible to keep up, so i am always disappointing someb…

Making that much money I would expect that you can take almost any career risk you could imagine. I understand that you're basically millionaire at 35 years old, you're basically set for life and can focus on doing things you find more interesting, such as learning about robotics without any monetary pressure. That's a pretty luxurious and safe situation! Maybe take some time off can help you realize how insanely far…

Somehow that doesn’t work. For most people retirement money (or “can take any career risk” money) goal post keeps changing. Often involuntarily.

Re: A connection between after-hours work and decreased productivity

#77

The years when I was at my most productive, in terms of outputting the most value for my employer (products, patents, etc), I was doing about three hours of "focus work" a day on average. I simply didn't have the energy to do more than that. The rest of my working hours were spent in low-productivity meetings, low intensity emailing, etc. My performance reviews were consistently top-notch and I was getting promoted a…

Working smart vs working hard. Also - optics. Notice how even if you are an early bird and in the office by 9, you are a lazy slacker when you leave at 5? Then someone rolls in at 11 and leaves at 7 - same number of hours. HARD WORKER. People are shallow, visual, and have no attention spans (especially now). You need to be aware of the optics and play them. No, you are not gaming the system - you are getting to the e…

> No, you are not gaming the system - you are getting to the even point of a stupid, unfair one.

You are also reinforcing the stupid unfair system. The game is created by playing it.

Re: A connection between after-hours work and decreased productivity

#78
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Working smart vs working hard. Also - optics. Notice how even if you are an early bird and in the office by 9, you are a lazy slacker when you leave at 5? Then someone rolls in at 11 and leaves at 7 - same number of hours. HARD WORKER. People are shallow, visual, and have no attention spans (especially now). You need to be aware of the optics and play them. No, you are not gaming the system - you are getting to the e…

> Notice how even if you are an early bird and in the office by 9, you are a lazy slacker when you leave at 5? Then someone rolls in at 11 and leaves at 7 - same number of hours. HARD WORKER. So I generally agree with your post, but is this what constitutes early riser these days? I get having kids and missing the key 7-9am time slot, but is an 11am start time a Usual Thing?

Yeah 9am is not early at all and way more into running late territory. Early risers to me means focused and productive at 730AM local time.

I’m usually ready to go full speed by 8AM, I wfh and kids are out the door to school by 7:35-7:40Am.

/in the US and work in consulting

Re: A connection between after-hours work and decreased productivity

#79
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Notice how even if you are an early bird and in the office by 9, you are a lazy slacker when you leave at 5? Then someone rolls in at 11 and leaves at 7 - same number of hours. HARD WORKER. So I generally agree with your post, but is this what constitutes early riser these days? I get having kids and missing the key 7-9am time slot, but is an 11am start time a Usual Thing?

People regularly walk in from the street just in time for that 10:30 standup. Then it's 11, then they get ready for the day, then it's lunch time. Then it's lunch coma. Then by 3PM they start gaining speed. By that time, I am already exhausted.

To be fair some people have naturally different "peak hours" and sleep schedules. I naturally fall asleep around 1-2AM and wake up at 10. Going to bed earlier involves tossing and turning for hours annoying the SO. Staying up for 36 hours to "reset" works for a couple nights before the schedule drifts back to its natural state.

I practice sleep hygiene and have tried cutting out caffeine. Conversely, there's no amount of caffeine capable of facilitating deep work before 10:30-11AM, just end up frantically clicking around articles and wishing for sleep.

Maybe these people aren't trying to game the optics, they just are naturally at their most productive from 11-7. IMHO it's awesome that your company allows that kind of flexibility (and that the morning startup is at 10:30!)

Re: A connection between after-hours work and decreased productivity

#80
post #78
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Notice how even if you are an early bird and in the office by 9, you are a lazy slacker when you leave at 5? Then someone rolls in at 11 and leaves at 7 - same number of hours. HARD WORKER. So I generally agree with your post, but is this what constitutes early riser these days? I get having kids and missing the key 7-9am time slot, but is an 11am start time a Usual Thing?

Yeah 9am is not early at all and way more into running late territory. Early risers to me means focused and productive at 730AM local time. I’m usually ready to go full speed by 8AM, I wfh and kids are out the door to school by 7:35-7:40Am. /in the US and work in consulting

In every tech workplace I've been, 9am start time is the early risers, and 10:30-11am is when people actually 'are online'. Maybe it's different in the consulting space.
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