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Actual title is "4 simple software engineering habits that transformed my productivity" Using keyboard shortcuts is one of the four. I've been using keyboard shortcuts since I was a child! I can scarcely imagine programming without them. It would be like removing half my fingers or something in terms of detrimental effects. Could somebody even get to a high level in software engineering skills without them? I'm curio…
It really depends. This is just one of the tools that might or might not for you. I think it's more important to know your goal and yourself. In this case, you want to increase your productivity. As long as you can reach your goal, it's good enough. Personally it doesn't work well for me because I need clean separations from work and be in the prolonged work mode would cause burnout. I have no problem to get started…
Do you have trouble putting work down if it's unfinished?
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On the other hand, leaving the day feeling confused and sleeping on the problem is often times more helpful than pushing through when you're not getting anywhere in the moment. It gives time for those "aha" moments when you're not actively problem solving.
After many years of learning this lesson over and over again, that much my subconscious works on problems, I've finally learned to trust myself to step away when I feel like I'm grinding.
this is great productivity hack, but personally i'd rather sacrifice the productivity and finish the workday (or even just go for lunch) feeling like i've finished something.
Long-term, I can't comprehend how this could possibly increase productivity unless it makes you more satisfied / happy and, coincidentally, more productive.
For some it might work, for others - definitely not.
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Does "pay mortgage and feed family" qualify as a terminal goal that is exciting and beneficial?
It could if you cut costs and increase your net worth by 20-50% over the next year. Otherwise, no, not very exciting.
EDIT: in fact, I feel like I made _that_ mistake in my 20s and 30s - looking to work for too much of the meaning and fulfillment in my life.
An On-Ramp to Flow - One Weird Trick: Leave Your Work Broken
This oversimplification is terrible advice.
I've seen many people refuse "low impact" work that's just flat out required for things to operate. Talking about keeping systems stable, working on tickets while they are on-call, and generally doing things that make work easily transferrable to others. These people that "refuse low impact work" end up being terrible teammates a lot of the time.