[OJFord]

I should first disclose that I'm terrible at 'finishing' things (I don't make games, so generally not such finishable 'done and shipped' things, but by 'finishing' I mean a sort of 'version 1.0' I suppose, something I'm happy with, think others might want to use and now it's just maintenance and improvements) so maybe don't listen to me at all..!

But I think there's something key here that's left implicit - do your own project first in the day. Obviously everyone's different, but I reckon for the most part that means 'don't necessarily start everything at 7am' (or do so even earlier), rather than 'work first and moonlight on the side project'.

I have way too many days where I'm less productive on the paid work than I could be because I've got something else on my mind; then come the end of the day when I could finally put some thoughts into action, I'm just too drained and fed up of sitting at a computer to do anything about it.

[toyg]

I reckon "my project first" is a great habit, but it requires something else: the willpower to start. It's very easy to spend those extra couple of hours in the morning just sipping a coffee, reading HN, catching up with social media. Work is work and it starts because other people will ping you, you'll have to be online on a certain computer, etc etc; but if you are your own boss, it's very easy to let employee #1 (yourself) slack off.

Also, this works only if you are a remote worker. Most commuting will nuke those two hours away (yeah you can work on the bus/train, but probably not well - spotty connections, uncomfortable, no extra monitor, no mouse, etc; and if you have motion sickness like me, it's a non-starter), and in the evening you'll be even more shattered.

[Zababa]

> It's very easy to spend those extra couple of hours in the morning just sipping a coffee, reading HN, catching up with social media. Work is work and it starts because other people will ping you, you'll have to be online on a certain computer, etc etc; but if you are your own boss, it's very easy to let employee #1 (yourself) slack off.

It's the same when you get back home after work though.

> Also, this works only if you are a remote worker. Most commuting will nuke those two hours away (yeah you can work on the bus/train, but probably not well - spotty connections, uncomfortable, no extra monitor, no mouse, etc; and if you have motion sickness like me, it's a non-starter), and in the evening you'll be even more shattered.

I personally have 5 "free" hours after work, which includes time to do shopping, eat, exercise, cleaning, all that sort of stuff. It's not a lot but it's not 0. That's with 1h30 of commute each day.

[toyg]

> It's the same when you get back home after work though.

I would argue it's even easier in the evening, for sure. The point of doing it in the morning is that your brain is fresher; I'm just saying that might still not be enough to start.

> I personally have 5 "free" hours after work

Yeah, but it's after work, when you're inevitably more tired. One could push it by going to bed earlier and waking up at 5am, but it risks becoming unsociable.

Also, I expect you (and OP, and a lot of folks in this thread) are 20-somethings with no attachments and no family. Those things tend to suck every bit of spare time you have, for years on end.

[Zababa]

> I would argue it's even easier in the evening, for sure. The point of doing it in the morning is that your brain is fresher; I'm just saying that might still not be enough to start.

That's a fair point. I find it easier in the mornings but that may be because the rare times I do wake up early, I have an unusually high energy/willpower.

> I would argue it's even easier in the evening, for sure. The point of doing it in the morning is that your brain is fresher; I'm just saying that might still not be enough to start.

I'm not sure about the unsociable thing, I personally go out once a week usually.

> Also, I expect you (and OP, and a lot of folks in this thread) are 20-somethings with no attachments and no family. Those things tend to suck every bit of spare time you have, for years on end.

I don't really like the way you put it. I have my parents, brothers, grandparents, friends, coworkers, all of those things take time. Sure, probably less than having children, but they still take time. I know people my age that have almost no spare time for themselves, and some older people that seem to have all the time in the world.

[hbn]

> The point of doing it in the morning is that your brain is fresher

I think that depends on the type of person you are. I do my best to get a good 8 hours, but it usually takes me a good hour or 2 (and a coffee) before I'm really into the swing of things in the morning.

It's even tougher in the winter months when sun isn't really out until around 9am and the sun is already setting at 5pm. It feels like you work through the entire day, and mornings are like getting up at 2am.

[OJFord]

Or it works better if you work in an office - you're at home working on your own project and can't be pinged until you go in to the office. Not everyone has an hour long commute, and even if so it's a sunk cost, still better to do your own project first IMO. (It just means being even earlier up, or being able to start work compatibly late in the morning.)