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Subsentient writes:
"I have a short attention span, a very short one, and I have very, abnormally poor energy levels, to such a point that while my physical strength can be up to snuff, my mind is always running at 8Mhz. I am a programmer. This is a problem. However, I find that some places are better to code at than others. If I can sit somewhere upright, looking down at the monitor, in a comfortable position, I can sometimes get some work done, and if my monitor is large, soft, and bright, I am better off still. Do soylentils have issues with location? What would you suggest for being able to sit down and code for hours, something I have NEVER been able to do?"
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Finding a Productive Place to Code?
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I'm not a robot like you. I don't like having disks crammed into me... unless they're Oreos, and then only in the mouth.
-- Fry
(Score: 4, Interesting) by mechanicjay on Monday March 24 2014, @01:20PM
Some of what you describe is an issue faced by all knowledge workers. Study after study has shown that for people who primarily think for a living, need a quiet distraction free environment in order to be truly productive. For some reason, bean counters seem to keep finding new reasons to stick us in cube farms, or the worst nightmare for concentration, an open floor plan. If you want me to be really productive, I need to be able to tune out distractions and shut the door for a couple hours.
My current office is:
When it gets really bad in here, I'll do one a few things: I'll grab the laptop and sit outside (on nice days), or in the library where it's guaranteed to be quiet. Sometimes, I'll purposely use my laptop wit the small display instead of my desktop with dual 22's, just to tune out the electronic distractions of blinking notifications and whatnot. When I worked at a place with an open floor plan, the conference rooms were usually in high-demand, not for conferences, but for people looking to concentrate.
My VMS box beat up your Windows box.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Monday March 24 2014, @01:34PM
I don't the bean counters are the problem, I think it's management. Managers have this stupid idea that open work spaces foster "collaboration", and that stuff gets done by getting a bunch of people together and having them flap their lips a lot. After all, that's all managers ever do: talk talk talk (and LOUDLY). They think everyone is just like them: extroverted and LOUD and needing to talk about everything.
(Score: 2) by wjwlsn on Monday March 24 2014, @01:43PM
This may work for the majority of knowledge workers, but for those with ADD/ADHD, it may be the wrong answer. I say "may" because some may respond well to a quiet, serene environment... but for others (like me), such an environment actually makes things worse. I think this is because most of my distractions are actually from my own head ... stray thoughts, weird ideas, mental static, lack of regulation, etc. My brain often seems like a radio without an antenna, or with a malfunctioning tuner.
What helps me to get rid of unwanted mental noise is: a) at work, some headphones and familiar music with a steady beat, or b) at home, a beer or two. Then, on top of that, a quiet, distraction-free environment can be nice, but is not necessary. When my brain is not pumping out its own noise and static, I seem perfectly capable of ignoring all external distractions.
I am a traveler of both time and space. Duh.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 25 2014, @11:54AM
That's a perfect description of how my brain feels most of the time (short of chemical aids to force focus, but those only work in the short term and have very large negative effects for me in the longer term).
Usually, I start out being distracted by too much quiet, so I put on music. After a while, if I'm intensely working on a project, I'll start to find noise distracting, so it's back to quiet. Repeat ad infinitum. What also works is getting out of my usual workspace and finding a crowded coffee shop or library. I seem to be able to focus just fine in a crowd of total strangers--not so much around co-workers and friends.
Another thing: when I need to do math, I can do it just fine on paper but I have to write every step down, or I lose track of where I am. If someone asks me to explain something in the middle, I'm completely lost until I've had a minute to settle my brain back down and get it all back in my head (same for coding). Some people seem to be able to do it all in their head--not me. I need my paper.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Chromodynamics on Monday March 24 2014, @02:18PM
I am the exact opposite of this. If its too quiet ill start noticing things like hums from equipment, fans, etc. I hate libraries, every tiny noise is incredibly distracting. I need noise to work. Usually I put on lectures, sometimes harsh up beat music like drum and bass. Coffee shops are great too. The noise is almost like white noise to me. Open plan doesn't bother me at all. So I definitely disagree with your statement of "all knowledge workers". However it does sound like you sit in a thoroughfare, which is surely to be distracting.