- PPF Points
- 2,888
For the longest time, I was totally convinced that “real” programmers just locked themselves in a basement for 12 hours at a stretch, pounding out code like they were in some kind of Red Bull-fueled fever dream. Like, skipping meals, running on fumes, smelling like coffee grounds—felt like a badge of honor, right? Plot twist: turns out, I actually leveled up when I started working less. Like, two hours a day. Wild, huh? But seriously, sticking to that tiny window every day did more for my skills than any of my sleep-deprived, keyboard-smashing “hustle” sessions ever did. When you know you’ve only got two hours, you get focused. You plan before flailing at the keyboard. You code with purpose, not just panic.
Honestly, there’s something kinda magical about putting yourself on a leash. Two hours, and you’re razor sharp. You’re not falling asleep drooling on your trackpad or doomscrolling Stack Overflow because your brain short-circuited. You’re actually present, almost zen. And when you keep showing up like that, day after day, stuff just starts to click. Ideas marinate overnight, bugs basically out themselves when you come back fresh, and suddenly coding feels less like frantic cramming and more like learning a new language—something you chip away at, not binge. Those marathon sessions? Sure, they feel productive, but half the time you’re just burning out for no good reason.
Honestly, most of the developers I respect aren’t out here flexing about 16-hour workdays. They’re bragging (in that humble-brag way, you know) about how little they had to work to get stuff done. They’ve found their groove, their pace, and just ride that wave. Progress stacks up way faster than trying to brute-force your way through exhaustion. So why are we still romanticizing the grind anyway? Feels kinda silly when you think about it.
Honestly, there’s something kinda magical about putting yourself on a leash. Two hours, and you’re razor sharp. You’re not falling asleep drooling on your trackpad or doomscrolling Stack Overflow because your brain short-circuited. You’re actually present, almost zen. And when you keep showing up like that, day after day, stuff just starts to click. Ideas marinate overnight, bugs basically out themselves when you come back fresh, and suddenly coding feels less like frantic cramming and more like learning a new language—something you chip away at, not binge. Those marathon sessions? Sure, they feel productive, but half the time you’re just burning out for no good reason.
Honestly, most of the developers I respect aren’t out here flexing about 16-hour workdays. They’re bragging (in that humble-brag way, you know) about how little they had to work to get stuff done. They’ve found their groove, their pace, and just ride that wave. Progress stacks up way faster than trying to brute-force your way through exhaustion. So why are we still romanticizing the grind anyway? Feels kinda silly when you think about it.
