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Ask HN: Techniques for surviving a job you loathe?
51–60 of 85 posts
Re: Ask HN: Techniques for surviving a job you loathe?
#52I just wanted to emphasise that while the employment situation isn't good, I'm more keen on actually starting a business thank moving to another job, unless something really challenging and exciting comes along. With that said though I would never quit my day job and lose that security until my product had paid me 1.5x annual salary. I'm in regional Victoria, but a commute to Melbourne isn't viable for me and all our…
I'm struggling to imagine any 300-head software company based in regional Victoria. Are you in a satellite office of a larger org?
Re: Ask HN: Techniques for surviving a job you loathe?
#53What I used to do is go to office 2 hours earlier and work on my stuff, anything I liked and develop something. Rest of the day somehow passes with this good inner feeling that I worked on something meaningful that interests me.
Before I used to work on my personal projects after the office hours and I used to not like it sometimes because I am mentally tired due to useless day job. But working on my stuff early first thing in the morning keeps me going
I live in Dubai and there is no ground-breaking work done here - not even close - and I totally rely on HN to learn whatever I can and stay informed at least. Working on open source projects is the only way I see to get connected to the 'real' world of development and startups.
If you are willing to work remotely you should try the below sites - there are some good jobs https://angel.co/jobs
http://careers.stackoverflow.com/jobs
With regards to balancing everything, I think once you get the job you love everything else falls into right place because majority of your day and week is spent on job which is 8 hours a day and if those 8 hours a day is fruitful the other minor issues don't matter..
Re: Ask HN: Techniques for surviving a job you loathe?
#54Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, ah, I use the side door - that way Lumbergh can't see me, heh heh - and, uh, after that I just sorta space out for about an hour...
Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.
Re: Ask HN: Techniques for surviving a job you loathe?
#55Read? Sounds like a sad place but if you're really in a place where you can 'play games on your phone and sleep' then create enough automation to meet what ever goals your manager sets for you, and then start learning more stuff. You might also find organizational dynamics and management books fun to see how they apply in your current situation. Some of the other folks there might be in the same boat you are, they ar…
I'm no lawyer (nor do I have any knowledge of how the law is different in Australia), but this might cause trouble when the employer asks whether trevaa used any of the company's resources to work on his side project. If he's using their time / lights / heat / AC / lunch / asking coworkers / etc, to read about topics that are directly applicable to his side project, that muddies things considerably even if he's other…
Reading a self-help book might be directly applicable to his side project, too, giving him skills to discipline himself for instance. (I could use a little of that in my side project!)
I'm not a lawyer either, but my example is different from yours is VERY different from bringing in a laptop and working on the project in your spare time.
I'd personally risk reading about, say, development (since I'm employed as a developer) and not really worry about it. If I'm working on billing software but reading about the entertainment industry (and building an entertainment-industry application), then I think we've got concerns.
I guess I'm trying to say that I don't think becoming a better developer in your spare time is wrong in any regard. It benefits you, your employer, and your side project.
That said, I don't think the GP really mentioned a subject. Maybe he's reading fiction?
Re: Ask HN: Techniques for surviving a job you loathe?
#56Read? Sounds like a sad place but if you're really in a place where you can 'play games on your phone and sleep' then create enough automation to meet what ever goals your manager sets for you, and then start learning more stuff. You might also find organizational dynamics and management books fun to see how they apply in your current situation. Some of the other folks there might be in the same boat you are, they ar…
I'm no lawyer (nor do I have any knowledge of how the law is different in Australia), but this might cause trouble when the employer asks whether trevaa used any of the company's resources to work on his side project. If he's using their time / lights / heat / AC / lunch / asking coworkers / etc, to read about topics that are directly applicable to his side project, that muddies things considerably even if he's other…
In any technical job you learn things that are useful in future jobs. I don't see how a lawyer could possibly object to "I was studying to improve my skills and enhance my value to the company". I certainly don't see how meditation would be better in this regard - that's just as much "using company time to get better at my side project", and there's less of a case that it helps you at your employer.
Re: Ask HN: Techniques for surviving a job you loathe?
#57A few specific ideas, that I realize will only fill a certain number of hours, but still very good use of your time:
1) bring a notebook and do planning for your startup - it will get you away from keyboard & screen all day, there's no such thing as a project that too well-planned out, and you don't need to worry about doing it on company time if everyone else is sleeping.
2) as someone mentioned, automate everything you do at work, so you can use those techniques/what you learned doing it to shorten your 5-6h at night to something reasonable.
3) no doubt people at work spend a lot of time on social media - so you do it to, only with a specific goal of networking. That could lead to anything.
Last thing - are you really building an MVP? I'll assume it's a web app of some type; I have no idea what it is, of course, but 5-6hrs a day is 3/4 full-time. You should only take a month or so to build and MVP at that rate, so maybe you haven't pared it down enough?
Re: Ask HN: Techniques for surviving a job you loathe?
#58Focus on the things that make you happy — and get people interested in making you happy! Maybe it’s being able to help a good person save $100 they don’t need to spend. Maybe it’s spending time with your co-workers and reminiscing old times. Maybe it’s being able to play with your kids. Maybe it’s revisiting a hobby you put down years ago, or going on a vacation with your significant other. Once you’ve found those th…
hacker news group hug man
Re: Ask HN: Techniques for surviving a job you loathe?
#59I don't have a family, but I found two things to be really helpful: Going for a 30 minute walk outside around lunch every day, and having lunch or coffee with friends who challenge my thinking once a week. These two things let me reset during the day and lower my frustration at work.
As they say, rest and vest. The goal of this job is to bring in enough money to support you and your family while you work on your fun thing. You can do it!
Re: Ask HN: Techniques for surviving a job you loathe?
#60Firstly, try to keep healthy. The worst thing you could do is to start making unhealthy choices.
I like the other comments about phoning in your job with no mental effort. Save your energies for your kids and your side projects.
I have a free 30 day email course on career hacking[1] to promote a book I'm writing. It could be worth signing up. It's focused on getting a career in penetration testing but a lot of the stuff in the emails applies to anyone looking to get a new job or change careers. The pentesty stuff might not be so relevant but a lot of the emails contain more general tips and advice that might help you find another job.
[1] - https://rawhex.com/