[koonsolo]

Can someone explain to me how you can be productive for 12 hours on a single day?

When I do concentrated programming work, I can maybe do 4 hours, at best 6 hours. It seems I can stretch it when doing more mundane work when I know what needs to be done. But this time is seriously reduced when I have to think about architecture or more complex stuff.

The literature also point into this direction, where writers and serious thinkers do these kind of few hours (also see Cal Newport on deep work).

I know John Carmack said you can be more productive when you can do more easy tasks to fill up the day, but it ends somewhere.

I have a master degree in computer science, and during the exams, my head was full at 20:00. Nothing could get in after that. I know people who could study until 3 in the morning. But you know what, after questioning them, they didn't do shit in the morning.

At work, I always had great reviews and my employers loved me (I'm almost 40 now). I always felt I was slacking off because I worked too little. But then I understood, if I work so little and get great reviews, what are those other guys doing?

So 12 hours a day? You are just lying to yourself. Those people are slacking off like crazy, and probably can't get anything done during the day. And at the end of the day, they are angry at themselves that they didn't do shit and wasted most of those 12 hours slacking off.

But I am sincerely asking to prove me wrong. Is it possible to work 12 productive hours a day? I was always searching for this how some people claim to be able to pull this off. But after investigation, they never really were able to do this.

[theprotocol]

I've had trouble finding a workplace that understood this. Even on the days where I put in 5-6 hours of high quality work I'd attract the suspicion of managers.

After that they typically begin to "check on me" regularly to make sure I'm not "slacking." This would go on long-term.

I have never worked anywhere where this didn't happen.

[yvdriess]

What I think is fundamental is that employees are not payed for their work, but for their time. The implicit thought pattern is that they feel they own your time.

[theprotocol]

You're right. However, being there and doing low-impact work like planning the next day in my head yields the same suspicion.

[isolli]

I entirely agree with you, with one caveat: I have met one, maybe two persons in my life who were able to work and be intellectually productive 12 hours a day on a prolonged basis, but they are the absolute exception. Building an entire company on the assumption that they are the norm is insane.

[HansLandaa]

I was able to go through a short period when I did 7-8 hours of productive work, but I also lost 15 pounds. I would just work until I was too hungry to think and only eat then. It definitely wasn't sustainable long term.

I think it's a mistake to force people to stay in the office and work for this long. Even if it isn't 100% productive work hours, it still deprives them of opportunities to do other things with their lives such as family, hobbies and fitness activities.

It's as if he doesn't realize he's doing tangible harm to thousands of lives.

I also find it strange that someone that is currently retired at the early age of 54 can demand that other people (earning salaries) work 996. If working is so great and virtuous then why did Jack Ma retire early?

[matz1]

You don't work full 12 hour continuously. You'll take numbers of breaks in between, for example lunch, snacks, napping, coffee, stroll around, exercise, gym, meditation, games, etc.

[bdavisx]

What's the difference between that and working 7-8 hours with fewer breaks? Answer: The 7-8 hour person will create better products with fewer bugs (all else being equal).

[matz1]

The difference is it enable you to work more (for those who want it).

> The 7-8 hour person will create better products with fewer bugs

the 12 hour person with sufficient breaks can't do that ? whats the reasoning ?

[koonsolo]

The 12 hour person might actually be a 3 hour person. It's just fooling yourself that you "work" 12 hours a day.

Maybe I'll put my bed in the office, that way I can "work" the full 8 hours ;).

[matz1]

Sure, if you prefer that, whatever works for you.