Sounds like Cory needs to take a break or even sabbatical. I’m not going to push my own work scheduling methodology here, but I will say that everyone needs blocks of time off to be themselves to do things that they are totally in charge of and not have to “stay on top of” anything in particular for a period.
A classic book that changed my outlook on burning too brightly is The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder. The book (a 1982 Pulitzer Prize winner) documents the adventure of the design of a new Data General computer, the MV-8000 Eagle. It is an amazingly well-done portrait of the hacker mindset — although largely the hardware hacker — done by a complete outsider. During one period, when the microcode and logic were glitching at the nanosecond level, one of the overworked engineers departed the company, leaving behind a note on his terminal as his letter of resignation: “I am going to a commune in Vermont and will deal with no unit of time shorter than a season”.
Wow is this article coming from the opposite perspective of me.
It relaxing to be a software worker if you’re at a good place to work. It’s also relaxing to be a part of the programming community if you’re in a good one. I would say it is taxing to be a part of the startup space. I think the author probably just needs to get out of manic pixie dreamland and into pragmatic programming. Also agree with zpojqwfejwfhiunz in summary the author could use a month long fishing trip and then put in notice and work for a slower pace more pragmatic business.
Sounds like Cory needs to take a break or even sabbatical. I’m not going to push my own work scheduling methodology here, but I will say that everyone needs blocks of time off to be themselves to do things that they are totally in charge of and not have to “stay on top of” anything in particular for a period.
A classic book that changed my outlook on burning too brightly is The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder. The book (a 1982 Pulitzer Prize winner) documents the adventure of the design of a new Data General computer, the MV-8000 Eagle. It is an amazingly well-done portrait of the hacker mindset — although largely the hardware hacker — done by a complete outsider. During one period, when the microcode and logic were glitching at the nanosecond level, one of the overworked engineers departed the company, leaving behind a note on his terminal as his letter of resignation: “I am going to a commune in Vermont and will deal with no unit of time shorter than a season”.
That book should be required reading for everyone in the software engineering profession–if for no other reason than the ending.
Wow is this article coming from the opposite perspective of me.
It relaxing to be a software worker if you’re at a good place to work. It’s also relaxing to be a part of the programming community if you’re in a good one. I would say it is taxing to be a part of the startup space. I think the author probably just needs to get out of manic pixie dreamland and into pragmatic programming. Also agree with zpojqwfejwfhiunz in summary the author could use a month long fishing trip and then put in notice and work for a slower pace more pragmatic business.