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Subject:Re: Life Priorities of the Tech and Famous From:Robert Plamondon <robert -at- PLAMONDON -dot- COM> Date:Sat, 15 Feb 1997 07:54:54 PST
>As far as I can tell, no one has brought up the issue of productivity
>when someone is working more than 50 hours a week for an extended
>period of time.
This is particularly true when composing. I find that if I'm spending
my time actually writing (rather than researching or illustrating),
I burn out in about six hours. After an intense writing session I
will actually have difficulty speaking -- the right words won't come.
I work best if I write in, say, three two-hour bursts with wide gaps
between them. This is not a workflow that meshes will with the usual
corporate office, though I did it anyway (but usually only got two
bursts in). The home office is perfect for this mode of work, since
I can get the necessary distance from my work during the one or two
or three or four hours between bursts.
I once had a manager who said during our first meeting, "No one can
really write for eight hours a day, five days a week. Everyone I
know hits the wall at six hours. But I understand this, so don't
try to look busy all the time on my account." This was good, since
it's important to my productivity for me to leave my office between
sets. Gotta burn off that nervous energy.
-- Robert
--
Robert Plamondon, High-Tech Technical Writing, Inc.
36475 Norton Creek Road * Blodgett * Oregon * 97326
robert -at- plamondon -dot- com * (541) 453-5841 * Fax: (541) 453-4139 http://www.pioneer.net/~robertp
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