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Digital consumption keeps me from getting better at my job

sibervepunk.com

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Re: Digital consumption keeps me from getting better at my job

#31

Post by CamperBob2 »

cynicalpeace wrote: post #29
brightball wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s actually one of the best arguments for pairing/mobbing that people don’t like to talk about. When you are sitting at a keyboard with other people, there’s no chance you’re going to browse. You and everyone else involved will be 100% focused on the task. They actually tested this with brainwave scans and found that concentration levels were significantly higher than working independently.

Is there a service/product that does this?

Honestly, that's how AI-assisted coding works -- just assume you're sitting there with a fellow human who doesn't like their time being wasted.

Re: Digital consumption keeps me from getting better at my job

#33

Post by Yeul »

ggu7hgfk8j wrote: post #21
malux85 wrote: post #3

Then stop consuming! A champion has discipline. A champion athlete doesnt grow morbidly obese off pizza and then complains it’s the pizzas fault - stop, or drastically reduce, eating. “It’s not easy”, of course it isn’t, all greatness requires sacrifice, are you going to go to the gym (learn new programming skill) or sit there eating donuts?

To me it seems like you are saying "just stop eating pizza" to someone trying to understand why and how the pizza is unhealthy and what is a better alternative. Clearly we have to eat something, so a bit of understanding is needed.

Some people would argue to ban pizzerias.

Re: Digital consumption keeps me from getting better at my job

#34

Post by skydhash »

kevinsync wrote: post #27

>> Since graduating from undergraduate studies (which marks exactly one year as I write this post) Author sounds young .. yes, absolutely try to consume less and create more, it's way more life-affirming than the opposite configuration, but: Getting better at your job, like everything else in life, is just a function of time. Show up, and then show up consistently. Put in the time. Be patient. Lead with an open mind…

This. Slow, but consistent is the way to win. Like they say in Rally Racing: Slow is fast and fast is slow. There's no shortcut other than understanding. Which takes time and good input (great books, good mentors, practical experiences,..). And everything is driven by social factors, not technical prowess. The latter helps with solving problem, but the former defines the problem in the first place. Improve your soft skills as well as your technical abilities.

Re: Digital consumption keeps me from getting better at my job

#35

Post by skydhash »

deadbabe wrote: post #14
brightball wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s actually one of the best arguments for pairing/mobbing that people don’t like to talk about. When you are sitting at a keyboard with other people, there’s no chance you’re going to browse. You and everyone else involved will be 100% focused on the task. They actually tested this with brainwave scans and found that concentration levels were significantly higher than working independently.

Not true. These mobs often become a theater production where everyone pretends to be focused but they’re just collectively pushing along until hopefully someone solves the problem and they are released from their torturous exercise.

Yeah, software engineering is a collective activity, but programming is not. From my limited experience with pair programming, it would be faster to design on a whiteboard, partition the tasks, and then review each other code.

Re: Digital consumption keeps me from getting better at my job

#36

Post by vasco »

kevinsync wrote: post #27

>> Since graduating from undergraduate studies (which marks exactly one year as I write this post) Author sounds young .. yes, absolutely try to consume less and create more, it's way more life-affirming than the opposite configuration, but: Getting better at your job, like everything else in life, is just a function of time. Show up, and then show up consistently. Put in the time. Be patient. Lead with an open mind…

> The only thing people will truly remember is how you made them feel during a crisis, not the minutiae of what you actually contributed

I agree with most sentiments here except this. Most of what I feel towards colleagues and the ones I look back respecting the most were the ones that had great contributions, either in emergency situations or in the nick of time, or simply good day in and day out. Some of them are considered assholes by the more softly inclined, but I know proper assholes and those weren't it.

Re: Digital consumption keeps me from getting better at my job

#38

Post by brightball »

deadbabe wrote: post #14
brightball wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s actually one of the best arguments for pairing/mobbing that people don’t like to talk about. When you are sitting at a keyboard with other people, there’s no chance you’re going to browse. You and everyone else involved will be 100% focused on the task. They actually tested this with brainwave scans and found that concentration levels were significantly higher than working independently.

Not true. These mobs often become a theater production where everyone pretends to be focused but they’re just collectively pushing along until hopefully someone solves the problem and they are released from their torturous exercise.

That’s just how meetings in general often work.

Re: Digital consumption keeps me from getting better at my job

#39

Post by skydhash »

photochemsyn wrote: post #24

The problem with fast consumption is it's shallow, and the only way around it I've found is the 1:3 rule. For every ten minutes of information consumption, you'll need at least another thirty minutes of tinkering about with your hands, keyboard, pencil and paper, etc. to have any chance of really absorbing and understanding that information. However, this is much harder and more demanding of your concentration and fo…

Reflection is key. Books consumption (mostly digital) for me is always done in three phases. The first is just reading, no note, with only slight highlighting. Then after reflecting (or trying to explain) the ideas, I go back and try to do a summary. The third part is connecting those ideas to others from different books, or using them practically.

Consumption without reflection or doing is mostly entertainment, like you would do with a novel or a movie.

Re: Digital consumption keeps me from getting better at my job

#40

Post by egypturnash »

cynicalpeace wrote: post #29
brightball wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s actually one of the best arguments for pairing/mobbing that people don’t like to talk about. When you are sitting at a keyboard with other people, there’s no chance you’re going to browse. You and everyone else involved will be 100% focused on the task. They actually tested this with brainwave scans and found that concentration levels were significantly higher than working independently.

Is there a service/product that does this?

cafes, co-working spaces, going in to the office
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