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How to destroy Programmer Productivity

georgestocker.com

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Re: How to destroy Programmer Productivity

#21

Post by collyw »

ScottBurson wrote: post #6

I seem to be having less trouble with bouts of unproductiveness ever since I started sleeping 9 hours (at least) almost every night. This practice was discussed just the other day here on HN [0]. I've been doing it for a year or so. I'm not saying that my periods of reduced productivity are completely gone, but they seem to be shorter and less severe. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7965065

Interesting. I used to be 8-9 hours a night before I moved in with my girlfriend, but she has less flexible work hours than me, so wakes me up earlier. I am now average 7-8 hours I would say.

I put a lot of the productiveness down to other factors at work. I'll see if I feel more productive next time she is at a conference and I get the chance to sleep more.

Re: How to destroy Programmer Productivity

#22

Post by mariodiana »

Tloewald wrote: post #7

Programmer productivity is also very hard to measure. Just this afternoon I finally nailed a tough problem that I 'd banged my head against for weeks and then set aside while I was watching an episode of The Glades, when I should have been "working". Goofing off can be highly productive.

I was thinking about this yesterday, as I was trying to get started on an new project, and I was reminded of the cliché scene from many movies of the writer, architect, or what have you, writing something on a piece of paper, crumpling it up and tossing it in the waste basket. You know, then the camera cuts to a pile of crumpled up papers cascading out of a filled up waste basket and onto the floor.

A good part of programming is design, and design can't be measured by lines of code per day or anything like that. I think we all need to come to grips with that. Some days we code; some days we crumple paper.

Re: How to destroy Programmer Productivity

#24

Post by mrsteveman1 »

fit2rule wrote: post #19

Some other things that I've personally noticed massively effect my productivity: * Not being hydrated enough. Seriously, its a big problem - I don't pay enough attention to how much I'm drinking every day. A single cup of coffee in the morning, and maybe one after lunch does not a properly hydrated body make. * Drinking too much coffee. Its cool to have an Italian espresso machine in the office and everything, but ma…

I started tracking my water intake with the fitbit app which helped a lot. Before that I was drinking 8oz of water while eating which is hardly enough even if you count the water that comes along in the food itself.

Look in to L-Theanine (pills) to use in combination with the caffeine at times, tends to balance out the effects and for some people it can help a lot.

And the other 2 points I agree on completely.

Re: How to destroy Programmer Productivity

#25

Post by ende »

krfsm wrote: post #11

>My wife asking, “Hey, when you have a minute could you do X?” This line got me thinking it would be cool with an app where you can ask this kind of things, and the message will only be announced when the user is unlikely to be busy. (Triggered by events such as the phone going from stationary to being moved.) Anybody knows if such an app exists?

Choose your wifes carefully.

Re: How to destroy Programmer Productivity

#27

Post by ddmf »

mariodiana wrote: post #22
Tloewald wrote: post #7

Programmer productivity is also very hard to measure. Just this afternoon I finally nailed a tough problem that I 'd banged my head against for weeks and then set aside while I was watching an episode of The Glades, when I should have been "working". Goofing off can be highly productive.

I was thinking about this yesterday, as I was trying to get started on an new project, and I was reminded of the cliché scene from many movies of the writer, architect, or what have you, writing something on a piece of paper, crumpling it up and tossing it in the waste basket. You know, then the camera cuts to a pile of crumpled up papers cascading out of a filled up waste basket and onto the floor. A good part of pr…

"some days we code, some days we crumple paper." perfect analogy, I now have something to tell upper management when I'm asked why I look like I'm dreaming into space...

Re: How to destroy Programmer Productivity

#29

Post by iwanluijks »

Besides the 'Constant parade of people going past my desk', people constantly looking at your screen, checking out what you're doing and trying to get in on a discussion or talk about it directly when they see something... So annoying.

Great list! Agree with almost all of them!

Re: How to destroy Programmer Productivity

#30

Post by collyw »

apercu wrote: post #23

It's not just programmers. It's every kind of knowledge work.

Programming often involves "loading up" your brain with a lot more information than other types of task.

Even within programming, the context can make a big difference. I can fix most small bugs in minutes on my current database, yet I never get the chance to focus on anything that involves more than a couple of hours of coding (mainly due to fixing the stupid errors we are getting from not implementing a proper data import solution. Catch 22)

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