Here's the thing: I used to believe I had to work 8 hours straight to be productive.
After 5 years of remote work as a software engineer, I realized that's just not how our brains work. Once I let go of that idea, I actually got more done—and felt less exhausted.
Let me explain.
The Problem with "8 Hours at Your Desk"
Factory work and knowledge work are fundamentally different.
In a factory, 8 hours of machine operation = 8 hours of output. Time and results are directly linked.
But coding? Not so much.
You can sit at your desk for 8 hours and produce almost nothing if you can't focus. On the flip side, 2 hours in the zone can be worth a week of unfocused work.
Sound familiar?
What I Actually Do Now
Here's what works for me. Your mileage may vary.
I don't set an alarm
I let myself wake up naturally. If I'm sleep-deprived, my morning is basically useless anyway. Better to sleep enough and actually be sharp when I start.
I nap when I'm tired
If I feel foggy in the afternoon, I take a 15-minute nap.
Writing code with a tired brain just means more bugs to fix later. A quick nap resets everything. I wake up, and suddenly the problem makes sense.
I take a shower when I'm stuck
Weird, but it works.
When I can't figure out a design problem or find a bug, I step away and take a shower. Something about not actively thinking lets my brain work in the background.
There's actually science behind this—it's called the "default mode network." When you stop consciously focusing, your brain keeps processing information behind the scenes.
I work in chunks
I have a kid, so uninterrupted 8-hour blocks don't exist for me. I work for an hour, stop, work another hour, stop again.
At first I thought this was a problem. Now I realize: if the work gets done, does it matter how it's structured?
Know Your Peak Hours
They say the first 2-4 hours after waking up are when your brain is sharpest. For me, that's true. I do the hard stuff—complex logic, tricky bugs—in the morning. Afternoons are for code reviews, emails, lighter tasks.
But this varies. Some people hit their stride at night. The point is: figure out when you focus best, and schedule your hardest work then.
Companies That Get This Right
Some companies have built their entire culture around this idea.
GitLab has 2,000+ employees across 60+ countries. No office. No set hours. Everyone works when they want. They focus on async communication—no expectation of instant replies.
37signals (Basecamp) has been remote since day one. They even wrote a book about it called "Remote." In summer, they work 4-day weeks.
What's interesting: these companies don't worry about people slacking off. Their bigger problem is people overworking. When you have freedom, it's easy to never stop.
This Isn't for Everyone
I should be clear: this works for me, but it won't work for everyone.
Some people need the structure of set hours. Some people find it easier to separate work and life with clear boundaries. And some jobs just don't allow this flexibility.
If you're in an environment with some autonomy—remote work, flexible hours—it might be worth experimenting.
TL;DR
- Engineer productivity ≠ hours at desk
- Sleep enough. Nap if needed. Take breaks.
- Know when you focus best and do hard work then.
- "Time at desk" is a factory-era metric. We can do better.
If any of this resonates, try loosening the "8-hour" mindset. You might be surprised.
I write more about engineering careers and ways of working here:
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