April 10, 2012 at 10:23 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Wasting Time
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April 11, 2012 at 12:54 am
I agree, distractions are healthy. Some might think reading blogs, posting to your blog and even reading SQL Server Central is time wasted away from real work but I'm sure everyone here agrees that it's valuable not just to DBAs and Devs that are members here, but also to the organizations we work for.
The value add needs to be accounted for.
I feel sorry for people in call centers. In sweat shops like those your every move and screen change is tracked for efficiency, reminiscent of the time & motion studies of the 1920's and that fantastic Charlie Chaplin movie "Modern Times".
"Efficiency measures" like those are the real waste of time.
April 11, 2012 at 2:43 am
If I didn't "distract" myself from time to time with SQLServerCentral, I surely would have less knowledge than I have now. It helps me improving the quality of my work. And often when I face a difficult problem, I go: "Hey, I read about that in an article some time ago." I search the article, modify the code to my needs, test it and I'm done. Talk about efficiency 😀
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April 11, 2012 at 3:39 am
I agree, a moderate amount of distractions are needed.
April 11, 2012 at 5:52 am
One thing you noted was talking to a coworker about something not related to what you are working on. That has 2 additional benefits. First, it may well teach you something about the business you didn't know.
Second, if the conversation is around helping them do something they don't know, it helps you hone your mentoring skills and gives you a better feel for how well you know the subject. If you can't explain it well in technical terms to another techie, maybe you should brush up a bit.
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April 11, 2012 at 5:55 am
G Bryant McClellan (4/11/2012)
One thing you noted was talking to a coworker about something not related to what you are working on. That has 2 additional benefits. First, it may well teach you something about the business you didn't know.Second, if the conversation is around helping them do something they don't know, it helps you hone your mentoring skills and gives you a better feel for how well you know the subject. If you can't explain it well in technical terms to another techie, maybe you should brush up a bit.
Third, it helps with "internal marketing". People will start to know you, which can be useful in future projects.
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April 11, 2012 at 6:27 am
I agree as well. I enjoy reading all the Editorials.
Thanks,
Kathy
April 11, 2012 at 6:54 am
I definitely spend time on distractions. Some days it does hurt my productivity, but most days it is a quick break to refresh myself from the mental grind which I think helps my overall productivity.
The other thing that I think needs to be considered at this point is that many of us in IT are connected 24x7x365 through our phones/tablets/laptops, and many of us are expected not only to be connected, but available. I think this makes taking breaks during the day even more important.
Jack Corbett
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April 11, 2012 at 7:32 am
the editorial is definitely my favourite 'waste of time' - I always read it, and the posts - and "what kind of car are you" was great fun - really brought out some interesting contributions - and personalities. but for those of you who 'waste' your time addressing questions/problems on forums, you are most definitely NOT wasting your time, I personally owe you a DEEP debt of gratitude. I'm sure that others feel the same and when possible "pay it forward". I am but a novitiate particularly as a DBA and it's hard to believe I know something others don't, but I try to proffer if/when I can.
my eternal approbation to you all.
yes, I am pretentious with vocabulary which might make me a blatherskite - thank you Jeff Moden.
April 11, 2012 at 7:54 am
"The best people I've worked with often had short breaks spread in their day. A game of table tennis, playing a song on a guitar, a short conversation, or even working with a co-worker on some problem unrelated to their job. What looked like a waste of time didn't seem to affect their productivity."
I agree with short breaks, the problem with this is a few people will always abuse it and ruin it for the whole group. For example, at a company I worked for in the past they had a tennis table in the break room and about four to five people were constantly in there all the time when they should have been working. So, rather than remove the privileges for the four people, management just had the table removed. But that is the way it always is, a few people who take advantage of a good thing end up ruining it for everyone.:-D
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April 11, 2012 at 8:05 am
I'm surprised there isn't a huge amount of complaining about smoke breaks. Myself and nearly every other DBA I've know smoke. There has never been a shortage of people who complain about the time used for that. Typically those same people have never minded wasting my time with silly and time consuming request.
Cheers
April 11, 2012 at 8:12 am
jfogel (4/11/2012)
I'm surprised there isn't a huge amount of complaining about smoke breaks. Myself and nearly every other DBA I've know smoke. There has never been a shortage of people who complain about the time used for that. Typically those same people have never minded wasting my time with silly and time consuming request.
Believe me, I know plenty of people that complein about it. Some people take two three smoke breaks a day and I don't have a problem with that, but some people take 8-10 smoke breaks a day and spend 10-15 minutes each time shooting the breeze with someone else smoking outside. Add all that together that is 1.5-2 hours of non-productive time that smokers are getting paid for by the company, not to mention what it is doing to their health, which the company also pays health insurance on. Silly work requests is still work, smoking out doors is not. Big difference. The only thing I have ever seen people reap from smoking is cancer and emphysema. 😀
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"
April 11, 2012 at 8:13 am
jfogel (4/11/2012)
I'm surprised there isn't a huge amount of complaining about smoke breaks. Myself and nearly every other DBA I've know smoke. There has never been a shortage of people who complain about the time used for that. Typically those same people have never minded wasting my time with silly and time consuming request.
Years ago I worked with an individual who made sure it was known that he was taking his non-smoking smoke break. Technically, we were allowed 2 15 minute breaks plus a 30 minute lunch time. It seemed the smokers took more breaks than allowed, so he insisted on the same "right" as the smokers. Personally, I didn't care.
April 11, 2012 at 8:28 am
Lynn Pettis (4/11/2012)
jfogel (4/11/2012)
I'm surprised there isn't a huge amount of complaining about smoke breaks. Myself and nearly every other DBA I've know smoke. There has never been a shortage of people who complain about the time used for that. Typically those same people have never minded wasting my time with silly and time consuming request.Years ago I worked with an individual who made sure it was known that he was taking his non-smoking smoke break. Technically, we were allowed 2 15 minute breaks plus a 30 minute lunch time. It seemed the smokers took more breaks than allowed, so he insisted on the same "right" as the smokers. Personally, I didn't care.
I used to have that debate with people at a couple of jobs starting with when I worked at McDonald's in high school. Have a habit that is really bad for health and get extra breaks, didn't make sense to me.
At my first IT job one of my co-workers was a smoker and, unless I was deep into something, I'd take a break with him and go stand outside and talk with him while he smoked. We actually solved many problems out on the porch while he was smoking. We also talked sports quite often.
Jack Corbett
Consultant - Straight Path Solutions
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April 11, 2012 at 8:31 am
I typically take 3-4 minutes to have a cig. I'm also here after hours, weekends and doing whatever it takes to get it done. For that alone I couldn't care less about what anyone thinks of my smoking. My health insurance isn't through my company and I'm not paid by the hour. The owner of the company smoke more than I do as well. We do have one guy who hangs out when smoking. He is one of those 15 minute people and that really does get on my nerves. I once had a client remark about how fast I was back from a break. I told them I wasn't going to lunch. They were used to people loitering while smoking. Time is time. For anyone here complaining about smoking, just remember that posting in this thread isn't what your employer pays you for so try not to let the pot and kettle get together.
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