Time Spent is not Time Worked
An excuse about the way I spent my day.
I had a particularly disjointed day today. Having ended up working from home after some excitement down my street, I didn’t write my first line of code until nearly 3pm, and tucked my McBook down the side of the sofa at 5pm for a walk.
On paper, and, in reality, I only worked for two hours today. It’s not something that I’m massively proud of, but I’ve known myself long enough to recognise today for what it is- the Equivalent Exchange.
Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy’s first law of Equivalent Exchange — Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist.
It’s a very geeky way of saying it. But, by-and-large I believe you don’t get something for nothing. And the cost of ‘active’ productivity is inactivity. I’m loving the current problem I’m solving; enough to gnaw away at it over the weekend and the evening hours when Game of Thrones isn’t on.
But today I hit a wall, and instead of just sitting in front of the McBook and going into the fake-and-guilt cycle; I’m happy to accept that this is time that I need in order to be productive; paying the price for the hours of ‘spare’ time stolen. There’s probably someone much more cleverer than me doing a PhD on the way people behave, but for me- the anecdotal evidence of 30-odd years is enough.
I once had an interesting discussion with someone about this- someone even older than I. And he shared his thoughts- that problem solving is 30% active, and 70% passive. I didn’t challenge him on how he’d come to these percentages; but I’m willing to accept the sentiment.
Yes, you need to actually physically deliver the solution, but it’s those insights from letting the question just be turned over in your subconscious while you organise the cupboard under the stairs and hoover the welcome mat that are the real work.
“It takes forty men with their feet on the ground to keep one man with his head in the air.” — Terry Pratchett (Small Gods)
So, that’s my excuse- and I’m sticking with it.
