Ask HN: Different Types of Productivity

4 points by aaronjgreenberg 14 years ago | 4 comments

Is it better to intensely productive in bursts, or mildly productive consistently?

I'm wondering if one way is better than the other. In my case, I'm able to be very productive for a few days, but then I usually have a slump where I get bored easily and find it hard to focus (lasts a day or two). Some people are more consistently productive, but probably not as intensely so. I'm guessing it's not healthy to always be 100% productive.

If it's the case that one is better than the other, is it possible to shift your productivity habit? How might you do so?

ScottBurson 14 years ago |

I don't know what's better, but I tend to run hot and cold like you.

heretohelp 14 years ago |

I don't think you can make a normative statement like "better" about this as far as comparing the two goes.

I can say that my productivity as a programmer has traditionally been very bursty and requires long blocks of time and isolation.

This is the traditional (PG APPROVED!) understanding of programmer productivity. That said, I've been getting better at becoming more consistently productive of late.

I think it has more to do with the individual and the task than anything.

aaronjgreenberg 14 years ago | |

I guess by 'better,' I meant the amount of output produced by one style or the other. Would there be a repeatable and measurable difference in the amount of output from someone who is bursty productive than from someone who is consistently productive?

Have you started doing anything different or made any changes to your working style that have led you to become more consistently productive?

heretohelp 14 years ago | | |

>Would there be a repeatable and measurable difference in the amount of output from someone who is bursty productive than from someone who is consistently productive?

Nope. Never. Sounds like a CTO/CIO's pipe-dream.

It's a personal thing that likely has little correlation with overall productivity, and most programmers are bursty.

If you want to help programmers be productive, make them happy and give them the working environment they crave. Whatever that may be.

>Have you started doing anything different or made any changes to your working style that have led you to become more consistently productive?

The only change I've made recently that I'm convinced made a sustainable uptick in my productivity personally (not applicable to everyone) is that I've started following Seinfeld's and many other writers advice.

I just make certain I write code everyday and if I'm stuck I force myself to start sketching out boilerplate/rough-ideas until I get unstuck.