Why I’m able to Code 4 Hours with NO breaks (how to stay focused & productive)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ต.ค. 2024
- As someone who oftentimes struggles to stay focused & productive, I'm constantly trying new things to combat that struggle. Well when it comes to coding, I've finally found something that works for me! That is, I code for 4 hours with no breaks. I disregard any advice regarding the Pomodoro Technique. I ensure I have no distractions. And I try my best to stay healthy, mentally & physically, so that I can successfully implement this 4 hour code block.
In this video, I want to lay out why I feel this works for me, and how I'm able to accomplish it. Enjoy!
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me, who should be coding, watching this video: 🤡
XD
Lol 😂
👨🏾💻
Me too 😂
Wow! This is exactly how I feel. 😂
My method is to set a timer for 4 hours, but pause that timer when I want to take a break or have to do something. That way it's guaranteed I get 4 hours of work done, and I can have breaks if I want to.
How do I guarantee I actually work those 4 hours instead of just procrastinating until bed time? Rules. No entertainment until the timer has hit 0, break time can only be used for things like going to the bathroom, cooking meals, going to the store, or simply resting for a few minutes. This method must also be started first thing in the morning, otherwise it's easy to procrastinate starting the timer.
I do the exact same thing
This is genius tbh
Rlly like that idea.Gonna use it for studying
Imma try this
good idea, now i too would start using timer
For me, the biggest challenge to my focus at work is when I’m stuck on a problem. Like, tried all my ideas and still hitting the same roadblock. It just makes me wanna get up and do something else. I think I need to get a little better at facing that adversity instead of being avoidant.
luuuul i'm not working today for exactly that reason
True that. Worst part is once it gets to that point my initial reaction is to grab my phone, which fucks up my ability to focus altogether.
Haha it's the worst! I'm on boarding right now so everything is an obstacle. I understand your pain.
Just get up, do something different, talk to yourself, walk on a circle, meditate, go to bathroom then come back.
@@NoOne-ev3jn would do that :^) but i'm high and i don't even want to solve the task right now :P
I also found it hard to focus when I code for short sessions, but coding for 2-4 hours and then hitting a break is fine as I have much time to focus and really get to the mood and zone!
my only problem is that I work from home, and the distractions at home is crazy.
Once i break flow I find it harder to get back into it.
@@_chappie_ unfortunately same🤦♂️
@ㄥㄚҠҠㄖ丂 interesting. Due to my schedule. By 1am im tired af
i found that going for a walk or some other form of physical exercise makes it easier to get in the zone.
@ㄥㄚҠҠㄖ丂 little late but if it works then it works😅
25/5 wasn't working for me, but I found that 120/15 is great! So, I guess it depends. The problem with doing 4hrs straight is you get no break from a hard problem. When I leave a hard problem and come back, I usually have new solutions.
💯
50/10 for me
This is exactly what I do. 3-4 hours, lunch, then another 3-4 later in the night. Helps me to sleep more as well
plenty of water & B12 too.
for best results, no checking your phone. Just wake up, move to desk, and begin programming
Will try this for a week and see if it works for me or not
@@adityaparab4314 did it work for you?
@@FallinIsCute this is working for me although I didn't work on Saturday or Sunday so I want to try it out for a month and see. I feel I have better efficiency at night than in morning.
same
same
Couldn't agree more I wake up at 4:30-5am to get at least 2hrs of work done before my daughter wakes up. During that time I only focus on all the important tasks I need to get done. So I can save the less important tasks for later when I'm distracted running around the house like a crazy person.
I'm a full time dad and this is my life. Ive been teaching myself to code and do so from 0445 until she wakes up and try to get an hour of coding to outline tomorrows tasks before I go to bed. I am finishing up on my portfolio piece this week!
Dad life. Represent.
I hope your portfolio is going well Tim, if it’s something you can share drop a link and we’ll check it out.
Great advice! I have kids as well. I am going to try this.
@@lvrsvid Full-time mom here! The struggle is real!
I hope all of you achieve everything you set out to do! Learning to code is hard enough in itself. Juggling that with raising a kid and all that comes with it nothing but impressive
i agree that the normal 25/5 pomodoro doesn’t really work, but doing 45/15 or 50/10 helps and also it can be used to just get started. if i’m tired and could use a break, i’ll take a break. if i’m in the zone, i just won’t.
it also depends on the nature of the work. for me if it's writing a college paper, working in large chunks of time works better because it doesn't interrupt my train of thought and results in a continuous flow in my writing. however if the task before me is cleaning, which is made up many smaller tasks, then breaking it up every 45-50 minutes with frequent rest periods is much more efficient
I agree, for me getting started is the hard bit but once I’m going il work until I feel like I can’t anymore (normally around 2h) then get up take a break.
Timeblocking with arbitrary breaks, such as pomodoro, is just useless for anything except giving people *some* structure (and perhaps an actively detrimental one, even).
But people want to do the right thing, the fancy thing etc. Etc.
Yeah, I do 50/10, and if I'm really in a flow I postpone.
Then in the break, I do nothing but think.
I agree. I do the exact same thing, sometimes I even just use the pomodoro timer to keep track of how long I've been working
100% correct. As a senior engineer, I can focus 3-4 hours at a time. Distractions, meetings, IMs only delay me.
then juniors say they're slower because they can't message me all the time lmao. They don't realise they're slowing me down to a halt.
I got distracted by a message from my friend, then two replies on two of my youtube comment. So, I am watching it again or am I? Sike! I am commenting.
That's how I rolled for years, I would just get in the flow and work for hours with no breaks, but at the end of the day I would get a tension headache. In my case I prefer breaks just to avoid the headaches. I can get back in the flow state quite fast if my tasks are broken down in an intelligent way so they are not that hard, or that easy to accomplish. I sometimes use pomodoro, or just go by feel, but I do get at least one break in a two hour period and do the absolute best I can while not taking a break.
Could be a sign of ergonomic or vision problems. Maybe some adjustments to your work space may help.
Those problems can build over time and cripple productivity when you get older.
@@peterbelanger4094 according to multiple doctors my vision is perfectly healthy. Might be ergonomics.
Definitely the video I needed. I get stuck on a leet code problem for 20 mins, I take a 40 mins break
I do agree with this. When I was studying for CFA (finance) I read the textbooks cover to cover. The longer I read the more bored I get but at the same time my reading comprehension and analytical skills increased by a large margin. And so by the time I read more than 2 hours. I stop feeling bored. It’s similar to attending a college lecture. It’s doable the first hour. The second hour becomes super tedious. But once you past the second hour. You just don’t have to urge to play video games or wanting to get out. You just get into this bored zone and your brain just becomes a sponge that keeps on acquiring new into. Plus when you study or code on hard stuff, your brain feels like you just finished taking a super hard exam. So these two combined together, you become very productive. I only stop working/studying when I finish my task or get sleepy.
Hey, seeing that you probably got your CFA certification, are u learning coding to upskill in the same career line? If so, can U please tell me what exactly are u pursuing in coding?
Working for 4 hours straight is definitely a goal right now. You're definitely right about the friction not being the work itself but the idea of the work. It's the activation energy to get the process started. The funny thing is, once you've finished a long session like that, you feel great. It's just getting started that is the hard part for me.
Definitely find this approach to allow me to get more done. As someone with ADHD it’s impossible for me to get any work done with constant context switching. I usually throw on my airpods, turn on noise cancellation and get to work.
As someone with same conditions, I can understand the situation. Can u tell me how u deal with constant switching. And with airpod thing, do u mean u turn on music?
For me I just try to eliminate as much distractions as possible. My ADHD enhances sound for me, so I’m constantly listening to the background even if I’m not focused on it. Noise cancellation helps a lot with that aspect. However, I don’t listen to music because it disrupts my train of thought.
interesting. got a severe ADHD as well, but coding seems to be the one thing where I actually take an insane profit from it... I let the constant context switching just happen but try to limit it on coding related stuff. doesn't have to be related to the thing I'm trying to solve, can be an awesome new framework I wanna fiddle around with, customizing my ide or whatever. I then almost always start connecting it in the weirdest ways to what I'm supposed to do and switch back to that - just to try out some crazy ideas.
this way i'm basically able to focus on coding for 16h straight without any distractions. it does take longer to get the work done in the beginning, but after a while you see the problems and solutions instantly because you learn to connect everything to everything. not sure if this works for you as well, but might be worth a shot
@@williemazehaze Omg, I’m quite literally the same
Found out I've had adhd since childhood... a couple months ago. How do you deal with emotional blocks? I get a pain in my gut whenever I'm about to do something i care about. I took a third shift security job to make it easier to get started.
Do you use body doubling to get started? Did you need meds in order to get a software developer job? I have a ton of questions when it comes to adhd and programming.
When I was 18 I was living with my parents and they would not let me get the internet, and I didn't have a cell phone, but I could take a USB stick to the public library, and friends to get stuff I want, applications, documents etc.
I was self taught. And I absolutely loved it, once over the majority of the learning curve, my imagination was my limits.
And I would eat.. breathe.. sleep.. coding!
I've even had problems I'm absolutely stuck on for hours, and I would solve the problem in my sleep, waking up with the solution!
4 hours HA what about 12 or more Consecutive!
When you're starting out, sure. If you're codinga little and researching a lot, sure. It's easy because it's not as mentally taxing. But once you start facing difficult problems, you can't code efficiently for 12 hours. And my take isn't uncommon. Most professional devs that I know, and those that commented on my video "How Long I Code a Day", average 3-4 hours of efficient coding per day. Some days they can grind out 8+, but then their brain is melted lol.
Everyone in the 80's was self taught.
@@fknight Excellent comment. I am in my 2nd year as a dev and I'm hitting a productivity wall because I expect myself to be able to put in thos 12+hr days that I was doing when I first started. Now that the problems are getting more complex, I'm finding it harder to stay focused for long periods.
The thing that really helps me (and probably won't work in all companies) is to have two projects going on at all times. That way when I have a blocker or get stuck on a tricky problem, I stop working on that project and switch to the other. This alternation allows me to never block the flow state of programming. I've done 7+ hours of coding this way. My manager was terrified of this at first, but now will always let me pick two or three features to work through at a time. I find that by the time I come back to the other project, my subconscious will have been working on the problem in the background and I'll be able to start again. Of course, if the thing blocking me was a person, that becomes harder
0:58 because it works as an habits with long term benefits and you have to live with it for at least a whole month to see the gain ??
I understand your view about the pomodoro approach. But I think you’ve got this view because you’ve trained yourself to be able to focus to up to 4 hours at a time. Some aren’t able to do that yet. So, the pomodoro technique help them to start focusing 25 minutes at a time, then maybe 1 hour and gradually until they get to your level and set the pomodoro to 4 hours at a go.
The other nice thing about the Pomodoro technique is that your brain goes into diffuse mode on your break. Sometimes that's when you end up coming up with the solutions to many problems. Same reason why a lot of us get a lot of ideas and solutions when showering, or going for a walk/run/bike ride.
Idk I just don't see much use of short pomodoro bursts. It takes me like an hour to even get into the zone, and if I do like 50:10 chunks, im just losing too much time.
@@bushlite333 yup during my degree i loved to hear "i've been cracking away at this problem for 4 hours straight", when realistically they probably hit a roadbloack early on and then beat their head against a wall for 4 hours, when they could've solved it easier had they stepped away and let your brain handle to thinking for a bit. Just because you're sitting in a chair for 4 hours looking at an IDE doesn't mean you're working efficiently
Totally agreed. My typical work day is like 3 hours of work, 20 mins of lunch break and another 4-5 hours of work. If I take more than 30 mins for lunch break, I find it really hard to get back in the zone.
I am a dev and I use the pomodoro technique a lot! I guess what makes it work for me is that I take lots of notes during my sessions about what it is that I'm working on. This capturing of context allows me to easily jump back into it after the break.
Yeah I make what I call a "dev notes" text file where current tasks, app desc, features, etc are tracked -- so no matter what I always remember where I was.
Having NO breaks is just very bad for your health but staying focused for so many hours will most likely help you earn enough money for physiotherapists and doctors.
00:09: Yeaah: How, and Why?!
"Doctor don't know what they're talking about."
I understand where you come from, but trusting professionals is a requirement for buliding functional society. (especially in our time, where misinformation is rampant.)
Science > Expert Opinion > Your Opinion
Just my 2cents. Otherwise good video.
2x 2-3 hours blocks are what I like to work with, inserting a food + walk break in between. I get a little antsy and hungry usually around the 3 hour mark. This is all on point though. Great video man. Subscribed!
Because you stopped thinking about the code during the 5 minute break. I still keep coding in my mind while getting that coffee, taking that walk, or do some stretching.
For me personally, I've never had trouble working on something that I really want to finish for hours and hours. Whether that be projects I had in college or work that need to be done soon or just personal projects I really enjoy. But where that breaks down is that I've never been good at making myself do projects that I don't really care about. That's when I start procrastinating and looking for reasons to not be working on it. As I've gotten older I've gotten more disciplined about just sitting down and doing things I don't like doing, but it's never easy.
4 hours? I've been sitting here for months without food or water.
Hhhh 4h will be a piece of cake for you 😂
how do you convince the organization you work for to let you do that, though?. i usually manage to do this in the first year or two of a job but after a while the number of people who need your input grows and you are lucky to get full hour blocks of focus
This is such a great idea! Since I started working as a professional software engineer I work 4 hours straight on coding. If it helps one think that was really helpful to me to concentrate was the competitive programming competitions, after being there 3 or 4 times sat down focusing on a set of problems you start to find easier to concentrate for 4 or even more hours in coding. The other think that helped me a lot is to have a computer exclusive for coding, no Facebook, no Instagram, no slack, no reddit. Just my coding tools and something for music.
Thanks for the video, Forrest! Keep doing this great contet!
I do 4-8 hours just fine, I still don't get the frequent breaks working for me. We even got people getting fired cus they didn't finish their work so I would do it... and then I realized how easy and short it was to do their tasks... what were they doing. Same applies to other jobs, when I use to stock shelves I can do like 4-5 carts in a whole day. meanwhile someone is still on their first cart for 8 hours like... they keep talking and not improving themselves. I get it the jobs sucks but then if you actually put the effort then you will grow that determination mindset into other jobs.
Out of all your splendid videos I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying over the years, this one is your finest 👌🏻 Love this. Someone needed to state this perspective
This pomodoro technique (work 25 or whatever and take break) it’s not meant actually to be used. Programmer should start relaxed thinking he could take a break after 25 or 50 mins. If he gets in the focused flow earlier he doesn’t need that break any more.
By the way there are other things which aren’t true in your other vids, will see if it’s worth commenting on these other things.^^
As a senior, I don't think you have to stay focused all the time. Sometimes it's not efficient. Instead, I do short breaks or even go to shopping mall by walk. The point is to keep thinking to make sure that what you are going to do is perfectly matching the requirement, and it is the shortest way, the most efficient way that you can do by yourself. Coding is not like running that you need to focus to get the destination.
I myself developed my product in 3 years. Sometimes I spent 12-15 hours in a day for coding. If you have this ability to code without breaks, it is very fantastic to code your own products since you know what you are going to do and can decide it immediately. However, it's not good for your health in the long term.
One day, you will get burn out that needs few weeks off to recover.
Just today I was thinking Pomedoro technique doesn’t work for coding and I saw your video as a recommendation 😂. How crazy is that. I think google AI is reading our thoughts.
Great tips, and I can totally relate to the "oh I just had a break, guess I'll spend the next 15 minutes just getting back to where I left off" problem. I love getting so immersed in my work that I lose my sense of time (which I guess from a different angle might be a negative) because I _swear_ I'm the most productive when my entire brain is just occupied with the single task in front of me, rather than those disruptive thoughts like "oh man, I'm still waiting for that email to come, better keep an eye on my notifications". It reminds me a bit of the "just one more turn" phenomenon from games like Civilization; the game has so many different concepts that you fill your brain with that you just don't have an opportunity to get distracted.
Please what keyboard are you using? My magic keyboard sucks for coding. I’m currently in search of a good mechanical keyboard.
I usually do 3-5 hours coding sessions and I do them after 1am, yeah, after 1 am is when I focus the most because everybody is sleeping and nobody will bother or distract you. After my coding session I do some gaming as positive reinforcement and FOR ME it works perfectlly.
So you are going to sleep between 5-7 am? Assuming you game for one hour.
And when you probably sleep 5-8 hours. So you wake up at lunch or even later? I would say that is not very practical for nearly every usual office hours.
@@TheMordano I'm on college and now (in Spain) I'm on holidays and I prefer this schedule.
I’m sorry but I am unable to see this approach of going to bed and waking up late as disciplined. Discipline brings the best results, and it starts with going to bed and waking up *early*. That’s because the early morning has 2 benefits: no distractions and your mind and body are fresh because you just woke up.
@@thosebeyondgod I've got diagnosed insomnia men, I'm unable to fall asleep in less than 4 hours if I'm not extremely tired
Anyone else watching this during a frustration induced coding break?
Jeez, you've got to question a generation that need a video to tell them how to focus on something for just 4 hours as though that's unusual or an achievement.
Yeah! Lets make everything a generational problem! Cmon dude. It’s literally working on a computer. You can’t wrap your brain around why it’s distracting?
@@pyrrhici Everything isn't a generational problem. This is. Right down to you saying "literally" and suggesting the idea your defect means my brain is flawed. You don't get distracted what you have is an inability to focus on anything because of notifications, youtube shorts etc etc etc. To this generation everything else is the distraction - including even the ability to sit doing nothing. Try it on a few and see how twitchy they get needing to check their phones etc.
Love from Bangladesh bro!
I just watched your video and I'm really intrigued by your approach to productivity. Your method of coding for four hours straight without breaks is definitely a unique perspective, and I appreciate you sharing your insights. Here are some thoughts I have:
- I totally agree with you about the traditional Pomodoro Technique not being the most effective for coding tasks. It's refreshing to hear a different approach that's tailored specifically for this kind of work.
- Planning tasks ahead of time is such a crucial step, and I appreciate the reminder to schedule the most important ones during my optimal time frame. That's something I'm definitely going to implement in my workflow.
- Your emphasis on eliminating distractions is spot on. It's amazing how much more focused and productive you can be when you're not constantly bombarded by notifications and distractions. I'm going to start turning off my phone and using just one monitor like you suggested.
- Taking care of our mental and physical health is something we often overlook when trying to boost productivity. Your reminder about staying hydrated, taking vitamins, and getting some outdoor exercise is a great wake-up call. It's so important to have a healthy mind and body to perform at our best.
- I've found that using techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix for task prioritization can be incredibly helpful. It helps me focus on the tasks that truly matter and delegate or eliminate the less important ones.
- Another technique I've found effective is time blocking. Allocating specific blocks of time for different tasks or activities can help maintain focus and prevent multitasking, which can often lead to decreased productivity.
- Mindfulness and meditation exercises can also play a significant role in maintaining focus and reducing stress levels. Taking a few minutes to center oneself before diving into a coding session can make a world of difference.
Overall, I'm really excited to give this method a try and see how it works for me. Thanks for sharing your insights and providing such detailed tips. Looking forward to more content like this from you!
why does it read like chatGPT response? does anyone feel the same?
@@kodbooth yup
so interesting to hear how a person works 4 hours without taking a break. Great 9-5 tip now my boss will be super impressed
"Force yourself to start, and just let it flow" - I cant even count how many times i did that and did not realise this was the better way to go. Thanks!
Yep works for me too. I call it the five minute rule. Just start with a promise to stop after five minutes if I’m not feeling it. Then four hours zips by!!
Stay focus,
1. break your problem,
2. solve easy problem to make progress
3. find alternative way if stuck
4. Sleep your phone, and focus to code in your desktop
5. Avoid to make more tabs in your browser, if you done, close it and if you need to read again just bookmark
6. Listen to music is okay, but if you need more focus stop your music
7. Make milestone
8. Take rest, if your task is complete or you get stuck and didn't find a way to solve.
Hey what kind of keyboard is that? It looks clean
I was watching so much videos recommending this pomodoro technique, and am thinking, ok, but it kinda breaks my flow, and it doesn't really work when I'm in flow. Everything you said 100% correct, couldn't agree more.
Maybe in studying/learning coding could be applied though.
If the problem is interesting I can focus for long periods. 4,6,8 hours no prob.
But if it is boring, not for long.
Haha I'm glad I've been doing it right all along the way. Those pomodoro hipsters almost made me doubt 😂
My best phase is actually at night between 8-12pm. Employers will never know what they could have gotten if they just let me work this late 😂😂😂
Steven King writes 4 hours a day, seven days a week, without holidays. (When he is writing. He takes time off between books.)
Do you have any advice to stay motivated to work for that long when you've hit a complete roadblock in your code? ive run into an error and no matter what I do or who I ask I just can't find a way around it and it leaves me unable to move on
IMO, When you are stuck in an issue, the most productive thing to do is to take a small break (or if you are working in multiple projects, switch to a different project if possible). Close all the IDEs and stuff and start fresh after the break. This method has helped me countless times.
@@thisurathenuka8362 that, or try and find a mentor or senior at work.
Video starts at 2:55
You're welcome
If I start to code I don't sleep I don't eat I just keep going without break !
my brain shut down after just coding for 2 and half hours
Yeah, let's try this. Dropping this comment to mark the start.
Thanks for the beautiful explanation tho, loved it😍😍
Can you provide your keyboards manufacturer?
be honest i have same problem .... but sometimes i can code 5hours+ w/o breaks but its "little bit" unhealthy but i know i loose my thoughts during breaks :/
This sounds great if you’re working for yourself or your salary is purely performance based. If you’re salaried regardless of output then why bother with this?
I do exactly this on my own projects I work on during downtime at work though 🤫
Hey, where did you get that nvidia coffee mug ? I want one !
too long, cant focus so long skipped around
I love your keyboard, Can you tell me the name of the brand and the model?
Exactly! that is what I was thinking about lately)
you had me (my like) at that particular pinging pomodoro timer lol and then I stayed for the rest of the content
4 hours? chump numbers I do 15 daily bra. seriously...
no coffee
Yeah, but I am not a Coding professional.
Why are you here? Then?
“Making money is a common sense. It’s not rocket science. But unfortunately, when it comes to money, common sense is uncommon.”
Robert Kiyosaki,,,,,
I hear what your saying about 1 monitor - I invested ina good mechanical keyboard and single monitor and much better (with a lot of alt-tabing). At first it was exhausting and harder on my short term memory but I'm used to it now - I find when I'm using the keyboard fast with nice key presses it's quite methodic and helps with flow becasue it's so much more interactive.
Different programmers have different comfort style. For me I must have a break every 30 minutes or every 1 hour because coding is very stressful is not good for our body health in the long run. So a break is a must otherwise your body will suffer someday.
Very interesting and healthy idea. From what i've understand of this video, the idea is like "don't take breaks if them will not help you to complete your tasks" or maybe "stop being unfocused because of distractions like messaging services, mails, notifications, blah"
Thinking ootb and design a workflow that suits your work better instead of using a generic solution like pomodoro 20/10
I like your chickens
I like your comment
I'll try this later after lunch
EDIT: I've done it for 1 hour and 20mins and I only stopped because there's a power outage so I can't use the PC. I've been focused and I felt good. I'll do this now every time I code but I'll only do 2 hour blocks since I eat my interval meal every 2-3 hours.
how did you comment this?
Also, how's things are going?
Title if it was my video: Why I'm able to code 4 minutes with NO BREAKS (as long as you don't count checking your phone or rampant ADHD thought tangents)
I prefer working then taking a break when I reach a milestone. Getting in flow is important and will help increase your efficiency. Just remember find what works for you by trying different things, there is no one size fits all. 😁
My 2 cents: I use pomodoro. I don't take a break like doing something completely different in those 5 minutes, but I do go out for peeing, coffee, drinking water, etc. In the meanwhile I think of the coding. Combined with TDD it's really powerful imo. Also, it helps you avoid rabbit holes. When you have the 25 min sound, you sometimes think, "oh, shit, I was trying to massage it to be better for 25 minutes, while it's not that important. Let's make it work and I will get back later."
I create algorithms in the morning before lunch. After lunch is code testing. If I need to be creative I do it away from the PC , no point being in front of the PC when need to create something complex.
TLDR; code for 4 hours 🤷
I didn't even realize how the pomodoro timer was disturbing my flow. If I'm already focused and knee-deep into the code, I'd rather keep going and save breaks for when my brain opts out and I have used up my focus and can no longer continue efficiently. That is the time to recharge.
I have two questions. First, the most important one: Where did you get this T-Shirt? 2. What about standing up? Sitting for 4 hours straight is not good.
Reality check that you don't want to hear: there is no universal method, what you see in this video works for him, but that doesn't mean it will work for you, me or everyone else.
Also, from a productivity standpoint, intensively focusing on ANYTHING (design, coding, digital art, video editing) for 4 hours straight more than once a day is the fast track for burnout. Rest is essential for productivity. Putting your personal needs aside for the sake of being productive will please your employer at the cost of your well-being. Up to you to decide if that's the kind of employee that you want to be.
I'll definitely need this for my last minute exam prep 😂
3:05 definitely a Skyrim fanboy arent you? ForrestKnight?
Coding is like maximizing the RAM of your brain 🧠
Associating coding with being “cool” really helped me haha im never distracted on my mac
Putting phone away for me really helped me.
Step 1: make sure you don't have ADHD.
Step 2a: take your meds.
Step 2b: just focus if you don't have ADHD.
Video starts @2:56
Video starts at 4:18
Coding for four hours has never been an issue. I could sit down indefinitely and just go at it and truly never get exhausted.
The problem is other life responsibilities and actually getting to the chair and working on projects. Especially when coding is not what you do for your job.
Any process outside of the programming work is almost always a waste of time. Almost always takes away more time from the actual work than the meeting/process time allotment itself.
Sprints, scrums, the entire "agile" methodologies are all nonsense, sold to corps the same way that self-help seminars are. It's quackery. The Homeopathy of productivity.
Note: people who can't focus for the life of them, may need to seek help from a psychiatrist, because they may have ADD/ADHD. From my current experience, I could not focus for the life of me on anything. Now I can sit there and read documentation and really understand it rather than reading the same paragraph 100 times and still having no idea what I just read. Medication can help you become what your potential is, don't knock it before your try it.
I find that for me, I throw on my AirPods and I have rain sounds going. It just gets me in the working mood every single time. With the addition of the quest 3 with 3 displays connected to my MacBook I feel like I can be in there all day.
When the sponsor both keeps me focused and threatens my focus at the same time: ☕️😳💩
Step 1: have ADHD
Step 2: hyper focus
Step 3: ??
Step 4: you have been coding for 16 hours straight
This is 1000IQ. As an ADD person (no actually), taking a break every 25 just feeds my Inability to focus. Binaural beats, doing hard stuff in the morning. Gotta capitalize on that MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE brain power in the morning. 4 hour ultra focus time is key.
Good video. Yeah pomodoro is overrated.
Something that works for me is when think of a distraction (e.g. some video to look up) paste it into notepad and then get back to the focus.
Revert back to the notepad later in the 4 hour downtime window then later in day.
By that stage you're probably not even interested in the video any more.
Plants are also good in your space.
Plot twist: It's an ADHD medication prescription.
At least for me it is.
Challenge: Try this with coworkers and being in the office.
Task: IMPOSSIBLE!
Thank you thank you thank you... 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😁 is it work for learning? Most of my coding time end up in stackoverflow. 🤣
4 hours of sittig down with NO breaks is the fastest way to hemmoroids, deep vein thrombosis, spine hernias and all the other very unpleasant things for your health. When you're 20, you might not even notice this. But do this for 10 years+ and there you go. If you're doing programming, if you like what you do and would like it to be "your thing" for the rest of your life, DON'T code for 4 hours straight.
In order to not forget what you were working on before the break, just write cleaner code. Short methods, single responsibility classes, etc. Write TODO lists to keep track where you're at and what you still have to do. Use Test Driven Development, etc, etc.
There is a great book by Mark Seemann "Code That Fits in Your Head" that explains all in details.
Again, young programmers, please, believe me with my 20+ yrs of experience. DO NOT CODE FOR ANY NUMBER OF HOURS STRAIGHT. Save your health.
i was to code 4hours ,but this video came in and now am distracted.Hey @forrestKnight how can i focus when u keeep realeasing video?
For me, the hard problems are made easier by taking a break. I'm still coding in my head, when I'm not in front of the computer. That said, I don't pomodoro anymore. I recognize when I need the brainstorming break.
"Ok, let's start my 4 hours of focused coding... nothing else !"
"Wait, why does my build freeze ? Why does the WSL use 10GB of RAM ? Maybe the build freezes because of the 10k+ warnings... let's switch some of them off."
"Ah the build works again... let's get the newest version to avoid merge conflicts... wait, why does the build fail ?"
*build works again after my 4 hours of "coding"*
You're my distraction lol :D