I used to really like to sleep. I’d get 8 hours on average. I’d be completely rested and wide awake all the time. But I always felt like I didn’t push myself enough. Like I was missing out.
The past few weeks (probably more) I’ve pushed myself to the edge. Like they say in Firefly, I’ve “held myself over the volcano’s edge.” And I’ve found that my bare minimum for sleep is 5 hours. That’s my limit for # of hours awake per day: 19. It’s not sustainable though because I get drowsy during the day.
6 hours of sleep is way better and my current average. 7 is a complete recharge now. So I guess I’ve sort of reset my sleep clock. But it has been worth it. Those extra 2 hours have been critical in the progress I’ve made with WebnoteHappy.
So how about everyone else? How much sleep do you get?
About the same for me.
I used to need 8 hours, but I rarely sleep more than 7 now.
My average must be between 6 and 7.
Now, I feel bad about all the improvements I ask you for WNH all the time. ;)
I guess I take a “quality not quantity” approach because I sleep in every day. I figure I spend enough time during the day doing non-programming stuff that if push comes to shove, that’s where I’ll rob the time from, not from my sleep. I don’t use an alarm clock and just assume I will wake up when it’s appropriate to do so.
Not a lot. I’m kind of ashamed to admit how little sleep I get, but let’s just say that I catch up on the weekends by sleeping 7 hours.
I average about 8, but not because I plan it that way or anything. I just wake up when I do. I try to get as much sleep as needed because if I don’t my bug count goes up and I tend to stare at the screen more than usual.
I forgot to mention that I take naps on the weekends to help recharge. It helps that I have small kids who take a nap, so I just nap with them. :)
FredB: Don’t feel bad – I like the feedback.
Stridey: Get some sleep!
Andy and Daniel: Yea I think when I finally go full-time indie, I will adopt a more relaxed approach to sleeping, with quality of sleep guiding me. Right now I have so many responsibilities, I really have to put a strict limit on sleep to get everything done.
as someone like yourself (day job + family) I average 6 hours. I’ve found going to sleep early (when the family does) and then waking up in the middle of the night to code and then going back to sleep before work has worked well for me. I work best in the mornings. This creates two “virtual” mornings for me. Plus, if I find myself “in the zone”, I can just keep chugging until it’s time to go to work (vs. fighting to stay awake). I just can’t do that two nights in a row or else I turn into mush.
I average about 6 hours per night, sometimes more on the weekends. If I had my way (i.e. didn’t have two jobs and a thesis to write), I’d sleep a lot more! :)
If you steal from sleep time, you aren’t being efficient with your use of awake time. If you’re going to go indie, you’re going to need to learn these skills or you will fail.
Consider the following helpful hints:
1. Meals with family are for wimps. Code while eating at your desk.
2. Bring your laptop to the bathroom while expelling waste.
3. Bathing is a time sink. Limit to once every other day.
3. Eliminate all other forms of diversion and entertainment. No TV, no radio. No music. Close the door to your workspace and draw the blinds. Distraction is a time killer.
4. Weekends? LOL. Do people still have those? If you can’t hack it 7 days week, well chump, The Life ain’t for you.