If there is one immutable constant in this universe, it’s that pie is delicious. But if there are two immutable constants in this universe, they are that pie is delicious and that time slows down between the hours of 3pm and 4pm Monday through Friday.
Think about it. Most people, programmers in particular, fall into a “productivity zone” beginning about an hour after arriving at work. The zone dissolves right around lunchtime, and tends to be reachieved about an hour after returning from lunch. But no matter how feverishly you pound at the keyboard, no matter how oblivious you are to the world around you, no matter how focused you are on the task at hand, a tiny, quiet little thought begins in the back of your head and gradually works its way into your main thought process. This thought is, “Gee, I must have been working for hours and hours, I bet it’s about time to head home.”
Once you finally become conscious of this thought, you will unfailingly glance at a clock and realize, to your utter and absolute horror, that it is only 3:25 PM and that you won’t be able to go home for another two and a half grueling, painful, hate-filled hours. What’s worse, you have made the fatal mistake of becoming aware of the time, so that it will now be impossible not to look at the clock at least once every ten minutes. Whereas the first part of the day seemed to zip by in a flash, the 60 minutes between 3:00 and 4:00 seem to drag on forever.
You’d swear the clock said 3:30 a good twenty minutes ago, but now it says 3:32. The productivity zone is long gone and will be impossible to reattain until tomorrow, if at all. You feel a headache coming on and make three trips to the bathroom over a ten minute span, just to give yourself something to do. You try to remember what it’s like not being at work, but you can’t seem to recall; it’s been so long that your memories have faded and you feel dead inside. You begin to entertain thoughts of resignation, of creating a spectacular scene by tipping over your desk and yelling, “I am a free man! I will no longer be a slave to my corporate masters! Also it is a beautiful day outside and I’d kind of like to go for a walk!”
Or maybe it’s just me.
Comments
No subject
It's 1.5 greueling hate-filled hours, but no, it it isn't just you. I find a snack helps. Also, goofing off. Also, doing something physical, like taking out recycling.
Re: No subject
'grueling'. I am tired, and sloppy.
Re: No subject
Actually, .5 hate-filled hours. I work at a morgage company. But that isn't really good, cause then the whole hours is magnified by "Gee, I should leave early". I just drink lots of water and try to look busy..
The Answer
I have never worked as a computer programmer, but sometimes it seems like more menial jobs can actually be more rewarding because you can actually see the work getting done. The most rewarding jobs for me are ones where there is a lot to do, so you're busy enough that you don't have time to check the clock every five minutes.
Re: The Answer
The only "menial" job I've ever had was as a cashier at a camping/climbing/outdoor store. It was by far the easiest job I've ever had, but it was also the one I hated the most, simply because it was the same boring tedium day in and day out. That and I didn't know a thing about the products we sold, so I felt strangely out of place.
Re: The Answer Redux
Even better: shift your focus. There are two ways to do this. One: kill cycles. Go to the web and entertain yourself. There's plenty of humor to be had out there; the Onion comes to mind, and I'm sure you have some personal favorites you visit when you could use a good laugh. Two: build your skills. If you're interested in expanding your skill set, or increasing the depth of those you already have, reading technical articles online can jolt your mind into action and distract you from your boredom.
wanted online hometypists
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