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Reversing the effects of long programming sessions

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Re: Reversing the effects of long programming sessions

#11

Post by beat »

Forcing yourself to do Pomodoro sessions can help. It allows you to go deep without going too deep - having to take that five minute break so you can walk around, check email, or whatever can keep your brain from "going native" in the computer.

Also, for anyone interested in intensive work sessions in general, I highly recommend reading Deep Work, by Cal Newport. He talks a lot about how to do really intensive work while remaining a fully functional and engaged human being outside the work.

One thing he recommends in the book is to have a shutdown ritual. He actually says out loud "I am shutting down now", to help kick his brain out of deep work mode.

Re: Reversing the effects of long programming sessions

#12

Post by amelius »

Cshelton wrote: post #6

I hate talking to people after a long programming session. I simply can't do it, and I'm normally very social and outgoing. I just stand there and it probably looks like I'm gazing off at something; I'm just not there. I've tried doing many things after a long session.. for me, the only remedy I've found is time. I just need a few hours. I also produce music. This doesn't help because producing is very similar to pro…

> Having three+ drinks certainly helps... but not healthy nor sustainable on a daily basis.

Have you tried drinking water? :)

Re: Reversing the effects of long programming sessions

#13

Post by beat »

Cshelton wrote: post #6

I hate talking to people after a long programming session. I simply can't do it, and I'm normally very social and outgoing. I just stand there and it probably looks like I'm gazing off at something; I'm just not there. I've tried doing many things after a long session.. for me, the only remedy I've found is time. I just need a few hours. I also produce music. This doesn't help because producing is very similar to pro…

Yeah, I read the author's comment about playing music to relax after programming, and I immediately thought I might do some programming to relax after a serious session of music performance/recording. Frankly, playing a gig leaves me more intellectually/emotionally drained and dysfunctional than a long programming session does.

Re: Reversing the effects of long programming sessions

#14

Post by ljm »

mariopt wrote: post #4

We need to restrict the amount of hours we spend in front of computers per day and take weekends completely off. There are so many downsides: blue light that damages your vision, lack of exercise, depression and other disorders, missing out on social life, etc. There is a direct relation between productivity and having a life put together. Not taking care of ourselves (programmers) could have lead to disaster: mental…

Pretty much the same with deadlines. If the workload is reasonable it'll get done in good time. Might even to be my own schedule and not a 9-5 but it will for sure get done.

I will even avoid the flow unless I feel particularly meditative. There's nothing good about vanishing down a rabbit hole for several hours and prioritising the rabbit hole above your own health.

Re: Reversing the effects of long programming sessions

#15

Post by beat »

lukas099 wrote: post #9
yodon wrote: post #7

[tl;dr - aim to take at least 250 steps every two hours to prevent buildup of blood clots] It's not just about getting exercise. It's also about moving your legs sufficiently to ensure proper blood flow and prevent the formation of life threatening blood clots (disclaimer: that happened to me, I love to hyper focus and just sit in my chair and code for 8 hours straight, which turns out to be an incredibly high risk a…

The article was more about the mental effects of long sessions, and barely mentioned exercise at all.

Lack of exercise/motion could well be part of the mental effects. Your body isn't ready to move again. It's kind of like that weird way you feel when you first wake up.

Re: Reversing the effects of long programming sessions

#16

Post by loco5niner »

yodon wrote: post #7

[tl;dr - aim to take at least 250 steps every two hours to prevent buildup of blood clots] It's not just about getting exercise. It's also about moving your legs sufficiently to ensure proper blood flow and prevent the formation of life threatening blood clots (disclaimer: that happened to me, I love to hyper focus and just sit in my chair and code for 8 hours straight, which turns out to be an incredibly high risk a…

edit - removed comment

Re: Reversing the effects of long programming sessions

#17

Post by [deleted] »

wainstead wrote: post #8
mariopt wrote: post #4

We need to restrict the amount of hours we spend in front of computers per day and take weekends completely off. There are so many downsides: blue light that damages your vision, lack of exercise, depression and other disorders, missing out on social life, etc. There is a direct relation between productivity and having a life put together. Not taking care of ourselves (programmers) could have lead to disaster: mental…

All true, but neither should we deny ourselves a long session of "flow" if it makes us happy.

[deleted]

Re: Reversing the effects of long programming sessions

#18

Post by scolby33 »

loco5niner wrote: post #16
yodon wrote: post #7

[tl;dr - aim to take at least 250 steps every two hours to prevent buildup of blood clots] It's not just about getting exercise. It's also about moving your legs sufficiently to ensure proper blood flow and prevent the formation of life threatening blood clots (disclaimer: that happened to me, I love to hyper focus and just sit in my chair and code for 8 hours straight, which turns out to be an incredibly high risk a…

edit - removed comment

I read that more as a tl;dr of the comment, although I do see where you’re coming from.

Re: Reversing the effects of long programming sessions

#19

Post by baxtr »

Here are a few other suggestions:-

- Playing video games

- Cooking

- Watching TV

- Listening to music

- Talking to non-technical friends

- Closing my eyes and slow your breathing

- Exercise

I can see all but video games and watching TV, where again you sit in front of a screen. Doesn’t help me. Instead, I’d add hiking in the hills, forest, mountains, being outside in nature in general. Nothing is more re-energizing for me than that.

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