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This produces two nice effects: (1) I have no caffeine dependency but still feel energized throughout the day and (2) the effects of coffee are stronger when I really need a boost.
I promise if you take care of your body your work will improve in the long-term.
I work out every morning and don't regularly drink coffee unless it's in my morning protein shake (it may sound gross but it's yummy and efficient). This produces two nice effects: (1) I have no caffeine dependency but still feel energized throughout the day and (2) the effects of coffee are stronger when I really need a boost. I promise if you take care of your body your work will improve in the long-term.
Even worse, regular drinking makes you dependent on it, and, although I've been spared this one, stopping can lead to headaches.
I have noticed that some of the most successful programmers I know don't drink coffee at all. I think they also likely lead moderate lifestyles with the right amount of sleep.
Now, that said, the occasional use of coffee can be a great thing, in my opinion, for short term boosts. These moments might be for things like jet lag... that sort of thing. Also, it can be great for safe driving if you are tired. Used in this way, caffeine can be beneficial.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is the answer I was looking for, thanks! I'm thinking the long-term productivity increase from small amounts of coffee is certainly attainable without developing any major side effects.
Remember that the productivity will tail off as your resistance increases as well. You're probably better off exercising and taking in moderate amounts of caffeine from time to time.
If you haven't started it yet, I say don't. I am effectively addicted to caffeine and while it has its purposes it isn't a good think. In the past, every few months I'd stop drinking all caffeine for 1-2 months then I'd slowly wind up starting to drink it again. I haven't done this in the past year, which has sucked. You can be highly functional and productive without caffeine. Taking a nap and getting better sleep i…
Thanks for your insight, this was kind of what I was hoping to hear. If you wouldn't mind, could you expand a bit on the negative effects you've experienced due to regularly drinking caffeine, and possibly even some good ones?
Pluses: I am alert, keeps me going for longer period of times then if I wasn't drinking it.
Minuses: I will crash where my body is just exhausted but I can't shut off my mind. I think some of that is normal with stress and being driven, but a lot of the reason is caffeine. I think it is the primary reason I have a hard time shutting down at night. I am sure there are others, but that is the key I notice.
I will also get a headache now if I don't drink some caffeine in say a ~12 hr period.
I am back to working out and hoping with that and drinking more water I will be able to cut out the caffeine more. I'd like to get it to none or very minimal.
You never get anything for nothing. Regular coffee drinking adds nothing to your productivity. I can tell you this from years and years of drinking it. Any increase in productivity will be compensated for by an exact opposite later. Even worse, regular drinking makes you dependent on it, and, although I've been spared this one, stopping can lead to headaches. I have noticed that some of the most successful programmer…
You never get anything for nothing. Regular coffee drinking adds nothing to your productivity. I can tell you this from years and years of drinking it. Any increase in productivity will be compensated for by an exact opposite later. Even worse, regular drinking makes you dependent on it, and, although I've been spared this one, stopping can lead to headaches. I have noticed that some of the most successful programmer…
But mammals work that way, we have a sleep and wake cycle because in our average state we would be luggage. Similarly, many engineers have a few fruitful hours a day together with meetings and administrative things where sleepiness and passivity are better than awareness that could lead to aggressiveness and impatience.
My own experience is that colleagues that strategically drink lots of caffeine are good on new development projects. I would be more cautious on other roles as caffeine inhibits peripheral thinking. For example, on caffeine, you may too quickly discard causes in a core analysis or overlook a compatibility issue in a change. You may also make mistakes in new development but mistaken progress is on average better than over caution in new development.
When and whether to take in caffeine depends somewhat on your own situation. I am not a morning person. Morning caffeine helps a great deal as far as getting into the correct mindset, and I end up drinking a few cups of French press (or a double espresso) in the mornings and don't usually need to take any for the rest of the day. I sometimes take tea in the afternoon, but some of that is because I enjoy the break rather than a need to manage alertness.
I also worked previously at a company where half of the programmers would take an actual 30-60 minute lunch together everyday and this break in the middle did alot to help both the desire to be at work and actual productivity as there was rarely an "afternoon slump."
IMO, the best way to ensure productivity is to get enough sleep and take small regular breaks of ~5-10 mins every couple of hours, whether to get coffee/tea or just a drink of water and a short walk. A lunch break is also good if you can manage it. The mind works more efficiently if you don't force it to tackle too much at a time. Stepping away from the screen for a few minutes and just walking lets your conscious mind rest while still letting subconscious mind work on the problem.