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Maker's schedule, Manager's schedule (2009)

paulgraham.com

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Re: Maker's schedule, Manager's schedule (2009)

#71

Post by theshrike79 »

siliconc0w wrote: post #57
solatic wrote: post #48

This is the problem with "Tech Lead" positions in many startups, i.e. ones where the team leader (managerial role) is expected to also shoulder many IC responsibilities (maker role). You end up either being a good team leader and a bad IC, a good IC and a bad team leader, or doing something unsustainable like being a good team leader from 9 AM - 5 PM and then filling in IC work until 9 PM. Please - just don't hire fo…

I'm in a 'TL' role and my current schedule is: * quick dog walk/sunlight * meetings * dog walk/sunlight/lunch/exercise * focus work * dog walk * personal development/curiosity/light work * dinner/etc I actually really enjoy breaking up the day with walks and exercise. I usually try to have at least one day with no meetings for two focus blocks but I found there is definitely diminishing returns there. I think ideally…

Ooh, you can still do focus work.

I give it a year and that time will fill up with meetings too =)

Re: Maker's schedule, Manager's schedule (2009)

#72

Post by dr_kiszonka »

afarrell wrote: post #25
bambax wrote: post #7

All true; I have also recently discovered that meetings at the start of the day are not a solution to this problem, because if the meeting is intense (in good or bad, but the effect is more pronounced if the meeting went bad) then you can spend the rest of the day thinking about it. The only solution I can think of about the meeting problem is to have them all in the same day. A day with even just one meeting is ruin…

If a work meeting ruins your day by prompting rumination, I think that indicates a separate problem with how your workplace communicates.

And/or suggests that the person you are replying to could benefit from, e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy.

Re: Maker's schedule, Manager's schedule (2009)

#73

Post by sheepscreek »

siliconc0w wrote: post #57
solatic wrote: post #48

This is the problem with "Tech Lead" positions in many startups, i.e. ones where the team leader (managerial role) is expected to also shoulder many IC responsibilities (maker role). You end up either being a good team leader and a bad IC, a good IC and a bad team leader, or doing something unsustainable like being a good team leader from 9 AM - 5 PM and then filling in IC work until 9 PM. Please - just don't hire fo…

I'm in a 'TL' role and my current schedule is: * quick dog walk/sunlight * meetings * dog walk/sunlight/lunch/exercise * focus work * dog walk * personal development/curiosity/light work * dinner/etc I actually really enjoy breaking up the day with walks and exercise. I usually try to have at least one day with no meetings for two focus blocks but I found there is definitely diminishing returns there. I think ideally…

While I appreciate this perspective, it can’t happen in isolation. You were enabled to be successful. Someone understood that you can’t be 100% of both in your role, and set clear expectations with your peers, directs, a level and two above.

Many startups have inexperienced first time leaders at the top who are still running on pure adrenaline. They work unsustainably (not realizing that yet) and create such expectations for everyone else.

You’re constantly pushing beyond 100% in peace time. Now imagine war time. It gets bad - toxic even.

Re: Maker's schedule, Manager's schedule (2009)

#74

Post by gregwebs »

loloquwowndueo wrote: post #59
gregwebs wrote: post #13

When I started doing the pomodoro technique I learned to jot down some notes before taking a break from programming. If there’s more complex things going on it’s worth writing down more in a specification, ticket, etc. For me, the context switching issue can often be mitigated by dumping my brain into written form. Much like testing, it often feels like things are being slowed down, but usually pays itself back. With…

The “leave it broken but easily fixed” technique sounds somewhat similar / complementary to this. Apologies for the LinkedIn url, it’s the only reference I could find. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/leave-broken-easily-fixed-shö...

I have a really hard time doing strict Pomodoro because I do find there are better and worse times to stop at for focus. I like this article and it's idea of being intentional about the stopping and starting point for the break. Often I take a break when I have the feeling I need to change my approach- stepping away for a bit and coming back a little fresher with some subconscious thinking having gone on. Forced interruptions are harmful, but intentional ones can be very productive.

Re: Maker's schedule, Manager's schedule (2009)

#75

Post by gymbeaux »

ryandrake wrote: post #56
gymbeaux wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The status quo as you describe it has persisted, it seems, for about as long as the role of “software engineer” has existed. I’ve often said that management treats software engineering as an assembly line and software engineers as assembly line workers- for example, most seem to expect us to be typing, and not typing == not working. Working remote helps this, but we only have these companies being full-remote because…

Software company managers want assembly-line-like predictability out of a process that is more like artwork: Good programming output requires discipline and process, but it also relies on creativity, inspiration, luck, the ability to explore and dabble, following roads down dead ends, and so on. If you ask most high-ups in your software company whether they would rather a 100% guaranteed release date of Sept. 1, 2023…

That lends itself to the notion that they think writing software is akin to an assembly line, which is quite predictable by comparison. But we aren't writing the same thing over and over and over again. It's like they see the stakeholders describe what they want to the BA and the BA gives the requirements to the SWE and then the QA tests it... and they just envision an assembly line.

Re: Maker's schedule, Manager's schedule (2009)

#76

Post by robertlagrant »

siliconc0w wrote: post #57
solatic wrote: post #48

This is the problem with "Tech Lead" positions in many startups, i.e. ones where the team leader (managerial role) is expected to also shoulder many IC responsibilities (maker role). You end up either being a good team leader and a bad IC, a good IC and a bad team leader, or doing something unsustainable like being a good team leader from 9 AM - 5 PM and then filling in IC work until 9 PM. Please - just don't hire fo…

I'm in a 'TL' role and my current schedule is: * quick dog walk/sunlight * meetings * dog walk/sunlight/lunch/exercise * focus work * dog walk * personal development/curiosity/light work * dinner/etc I actually really enjoy breaking up the day with walks and exercise. I usually try to have at least one day with no meetings for two focus blocks but I found there is definitely diminishing returns there. I think ideally…

I completely agree. I do less exercise and more code than you, but I keep seeing that the best teams aren't run by a scrum master or product manager, but by a tech lead who can negotiate and translate requirements. It seems to produce the best results.
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