This post originated from an RSS feed registered with Java Buzz by Michael Cote. Original Post: Re: You and the Work-Wife in the High-Tech World Feed Title: Cote's Weblog: Coding, Austin, etc. Feed URL: https://cote.io/feed/ Feed Description: Using Java to get to the ideal state. Latest Java Buzz Posts Latest Java Buzz Posts by Michael Cote Latest Posts From Cote's Weblog: Coding, Austin, etc.

Martha has a good post along the lines of a similar post of mine about work in the high-tech world being your wife:

I tend to want to sit at the computer and at least "look" like I'm working, which is ridiculous because I work from home and THERE IS NOBODY WATCHING.

It's always said that we (Americans) are incredibly productive and have a strong work -ethic. Of course, put another way, it just means we work all the time and don't spend enough time just relaxing.

I was talking with a co-worker -- another Michael who doesn't go by Michael, Michael "Warp" Warpenburg -- at the conference this past weekend and he said that he thrived under deadlines and pressure from work. On the other hand, he said, once the stress was over, he tended to crash really hard. That is, once there was nothing to do, he felt very anxious. I, of course, identified with that a lot: I think most programmers would.

It's that constant "tactical" thinking that can causes me to be tense and nervous, thinking I should be doing something instead of relaxing when there's no crisis to take care of. Watching movies seems to shut down that annoying part of my head, maybe reading books: but, still, there's got to be some way of living between those two modes of thinking that doesn't involve harming the other.

Anyhow, Martha's post is a good writeup of this whole effect.