July 12, 2023 at 12:00 am
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Value of Doing Something
July 12, 2023 at 9:11 am
I like being able to do things, even if it is at a basic level. It helps me appreciate people who do it at an advanced level; to recognise their value.
It also helps me ask questions when something seems a little off. I've had a bad experience with the provision of fibre broadband to my house and my neighbour. Something didn't feel right about the quality of the installation. I should have challenged there and then but didn't feel I knew enough to do so.
From an IT perspective the technology changes rapidly but the underlying principles are much slower to change. I find being able to map technology principles to technology and demonstrate those principles is useful.
In a lead position being able to demonstrate a principle in the tool of choice helps build trust with the team I am supposed to lead. People joining our industry can be technically good with a technology but a bit light on the underlying principles.
July 12, 2023 at 11:28 am
I also enjoy accomplishing things around the house. I have never tapped a bolt, nor do I have the tools for it. But it is something that I would not be afraid to take on.
I would rather buy some new tools and fix it myself than hire someone else to do it for me. Unless my initial research shows that it is not reasonably within my skill set. Or I have too many things going on.
Hiring someone takes work as well. You need to find someone to complete the work and coordinate getting it done. Then paying them. These are things that I hate doing. So, fixing it myself is often my preferred route.
Unfortunately, I often take that same mindset to the office. Just because I can figure out how to do something, doesn't mean it is the right way to get it done. But it includes some of the same things that I hate. Finding someone to work on it and coordinating getting it done.
It is something that I strive to get better at.
July 12, 2023 at 1:12 pm
If I had not simply appreciated the value and satisfaction of doing something, I would never have survived 42 your in IT. Like the old expression, 'I was my biggest fan'.
A few days ago I decided to take on removing/sharpening/replacing the blades on my JD lawn tractor. I wanted to prove to myself I could still get it done. All went well until I had to get up from laying on my back on the floor!
I do notice more and more that I tend to clean up after myself as a job progresses because if I don't the cleanup may not get done.
Risking being repetitive here, when you get old, you will value what you have done through the years to PREPARE for you old age. And a large part of what we value now is memories. My wife sometimes asks why I bother to do some things instead of hiring help. Well, I guess it is simply because I want to.
And I hear you guys on getting and having the right tools to do a job. Years ago we liquidated a family farm of three generations, and I saved many of my Grandfather's and my Dad's tools from the farm shop. Some of them are from a hundred years ago and the enjoyment is imagining having both of them here to help.
When you are young, you value your future. When you get old, you value your past.
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
July 12, 2023 at 1:26 pm
I'm going to throw in something different on this topic. I hate cooking. If it were up to me, I'd make PBJ sandwiches all the time. I like PBJ sandwiches. However, I'm considering trying to learn how to cook, because I've come to appreciate the effort those who cook take. For example, for at least 15 years I've not had the time to calmly eat my lunch at work. So, I always eat at my desk, even during the pandemic when I was working from home. But my wife has slowly shown me how wolfing down my meal in 10 minutes doesn't make her feel appreciated for the effort she put into making the meal. So, I'm learning to slow down, when I'm home. And I think it I learn how to make some dishes, that I'll appreciate even more what it's like to make meals.
Kindest Regards, Rod Connect with me on LinkedIn.
July 12, 2023 at 2:43 pm
As a boy, I helped my father dig trenches for water pipes, cut trees, plow firebreaks, and build simple structures. I always enjoyed knowing how things went together and worked, which has had great influence on my choices of IT paths. I still try to do things myself when time, money, and skill are not an issue, although at times its faster and cheaper to pay someone else to do the work who has the necessary experience. I still try to fix things and build things and engage in crafts. I find it keeps me interested and is a very nice break from shoveling bits around during the day.
Luther
July 12, 2023 at 3:13 pm
Excellent post, thank you!
A couple years ago I had the choice of paying $3k and waiting 3-4 months for a body shop to fix the front end of the vehicle my daughter wrecked or paying $6-10k to buy a new vehicle in similar condition (old, high mileage, but running well). I made a third option by learning how to do the repair myself. This included learning how to weld. All in all I only spent around $500 on parts and tools and got it done before the body shop could have. But the real benefit was learning a new skill that will service me in the future AND the satisfaction of doing it myself. I might never do a repair like that for myself again, but now I know I COULD and that is valuable.
July 12, 2023 at 3:43 pm
As a boy, I helped my father dig trenches for water pipes, cut trees, plow firebreaks, and build simple structures.
Luther
Luther, you revived an old memory of my helping my Dad bury probably 500-600 feet of old lead water pipe around to several locations in our farm lots. I can't remember how we dug the trenches, but we had to go about 4.5 feet deep to get below the frost line. I do recall having a rotary post-hole digger on a little Ford tractor so maybe did it by dragging that around.
We didn't build any structures during my time, but we did move around hog and chicken houses by dragging them on 4x4 skids. One of the dumbest things I ever did was try to jump on a moving wooden skid my Dad was pulling. That didn't end well.
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
July 12, 2023 at 4:43 pm
I've found that doing and creating things in the physical world is critical to my mental health. Working in IT the vast majority of my work hours are spent doing things in the virtual world. They may be important, but at the end of the day there is nothing physical I can point to and say "I made that." As a result most of my hobbies revolve around creating or fixing things in the physical world.
July 12, 2023 at 5:19 pm
I also enjoy accomplishing things around the house. I have never tapped a bolt, nor do I have the tools for it. But it is something that I would not be afraid to take on.
I would rather buy some new tools and fix it myself than hire someone else to do it for me. Unless my initial research shows that it is not reasonably within my skill set. Or I have too many things going on.
Hiring someone takes work as well. You need to find someone to complete the work and coordinate getting it done. Then paying them. These are things that I hate doing. So, fixing it myself is often my preferred route.
It is something that I strive to get better at.
My feelings as well. Especially when I see someone do a half *ss job, the same one I could do. Albeit slower, but often much cheaper.
If I have time.
July 12, 2023 at 11:07 pm
I'm going to throw in something different on this topic. I hate cooking. If it were up to me, I'd make PBJ sandwiches all the time. I like PBJ sandwiches. However, I'm considering trying to learn how to cook, because I've come to appreciate the effort those who cook take. For example, for at least 15 years I've not had the time to calmly eat my lunch at work. So, I always eat at my desk, even during the pandemic when I was working from home. But my wife has slowly shown me how wolfing down my meal in 10 minutes doesn't make her feel appreciated for the effort she put into making the meal. So, I'm learning to slow down, when I'm home. And I think it I learn how to make some dishes, that I'll appreciate even more what it's like to make meals.
Excellent, Rod. I love cooking and do most of it here when I'm home. It's a nice way to relax for me after work. If you want recipes, hit me up.
July 12, 2023 at 11:08 pm
I've found that doing and creating things in the physical world is critical to my mental health. Working in IT the vast majority of my work hours are spent doing things in the virtual world. They may be important, but at the end of the day there is nothing physical I can point to and say "I made that." As a result most of my hobbies revolve around creating or fixing things in the physical world.
Same for me. I appreciate when I have tangible results.
July 12, 2023 at 11:19 pm
As a boy, I helped my father dig trenches for water pipes, cut trees, plow firebreaks, and build simple structures. I always enjoyed knowing how things went together and worked, which has had great influence on my choices of IT paths. I still try to do things myself when time, money, and skill are not an issue, although at times its faster and cheaper to pay someone else to do the work who has the necessary experience. I still try to fix things and build things and engage in crafts. I find it keeps me interested and is a very nice break from shoveling bits around during the day.
Luther
Hopefully my kids feel the same way. I've had them out there working on the ranch.
July 17, 2023 at 1:06 am
I find when I take a break from something that is proving difficult, I can come back to it with fresh eyes & fresh ideas.
I never really understood why until recently though.
Your subconscious mind will continue to process, sort and file away information you have absorbed during a task. It will also keep processing / iterating / working on things you've not yet solved.
This is often referred to as "attention residue" & normally regarded as a drawback of context switching. And it is when you are switching form one important task to another.
However when you move on to something completely unrelated - like tapping a hole, or fixing a tap, or whatever, as long as you are being safe it's ok for your subconscious brain to continue shuffling the information of the previous task.
When you come back you may find new possible solutions to explore, or have a better grasp of the problem itself.
This subject came up in a Basketball coaching newsletter I subscribe to. The writer was talking about not overloading the players with too much information.
Their suggestion was to share one piece of knowledge or skill, practice that for a little while, then move on to something else.
Then later, come back to that first thing. Nearly all players will have got better at it, as their subconscious ruminated on it while they performed other activities.
July 19, 2023 at 6:51 pm
Good thoughts. I try to correct one thing for kids I coach as well. I don't know I'm great at it, but next season will be a nice test as I go back to a younger age. Need to definitely break things down and slow down the learning for them.
I certainly find breaks helpful to my work. I often go to the gym and mull things over. I like repetitive things, cycling, swimming, somewhere my brain can only half pay attention and I can think while working out.
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