[chris_mc]

Don't think that's true, watchstanding positions are amongst the most mind numbing jobs that actually require your full attention. I stood watch in the Navy as officer of the deck in port, and I can truly say that 6 hour shift was torture for the mind, much worse than coding 6 hours.

[Aeolun]

To a point I guess, but I imagine the drop off in performance from 2 hours to 8 hours of standing watch is much larger than the one from 8 to 20 hours.

[chris_mc]

From 8 to 20 hours watchstanding, you're basically not watchstanding. It went like this:

    Hour 1: Fine

    Hour 2: Walk around a bit, then fine

    Hour 3-5: Jesus, I never should have joined the Navy

    Hour 6: I want to pull out my 9mm and use it on myself

    Hours past 6: I am functionally useless

Some jobs that aren't knowledge-jobs are hard on your mind, too. The reason security/watchstanding is so hard is that you have to be alert at all times while doing, effectively, jack squat. It isn't a much different level of alertness than I am in while programming, now that I think about it carefully.

[JamesBarney]

Granted I've only met 5 security guards in my life. But not a single one gave the job their full attention. All basically saw the job as a warm body position.