August 13, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item A Release from Data
August 14, 2008 at 1:02 am
Hi Steve,
Great article. I agree that there are many times where you would really like to say what you want to the client / co-worker / boss, but the problem comes in that if you say what you want you will get fired as well as potentially sit with a lawsuit on your hands - Which isn't all too pleasing to think about.
So yes, I do believe that you need to find something to relieve the stress and to keep your body active, because if you don't you might find that in 10 year's time you would've become physically sick because of not dealing with stress as well as due to not doing any physical activity.
I haven't tried to do Martial Arts yet, but what I DO do is go rock climbing indoors during the week and outdoors over weekends to relieve stress. Might not be everyone's cup of tea, but man, it does what I need it to do - Relieves a LOT of stress and it's quite a workout.
I enjoy your editorials very much, so keep it up!
Kind Regards,
Colin Macguire
August 14, 2008 at 1:59 am
Loved the picture of Uyeshiba...
Fell in love with Aikido when I was young. Then at my first proper job with the Civil Service there was an aikido club on premises, that used the Tomiki style.
Got the blood pumping to refresh those grey cells after wrestling with the inticacies of VME2900 - which I loved - a language that had WHENEVER and UNLESS clauses?
Current stress reliever in our office is the powerball championship, and of course the savagely competitive croquet league.
August 14, 2008 at 3:01 am
I have trained martial arts for years but the last few years I've not hade the time to do so.
August 14, 2008 at 3:44 am
It would appear that you're correct about the correlation between coding and martial arts. I am yet another one -- ten years of Shotokan and two years of taikwan-do. I haven't practised for some years, and I've recently moved to Bermuda. I managed to find a Shotokan dojo not far from my house and a store where I can buy a new gi. I plan to resume my study.
Arthur
Arthur Fuller
cell: 647-710-1314
Only two businesses refer to their clients as users: drug-dealing and software development.
-- Arthur Fuller
August 14, 2008 at 4:35 am
Although I'm not a martial art-ist, I do agree with the notion of focussing on hitting a pad to release stress. I had my first go at boxing last week, and admittedly my first few girly punches were tentative, but once I got into it I managed to punch out a huge amount of pent up stress.
I couldn't move my upper body at all the next day, but that shouldn't detract from how good it felt at the time!
August 14, 2008 at 5:33 am
I know Steve emphasized hitting pads as a way to take off the stress, but I don't mind suggesting, if you don't object to a few bruises (and jambed fingers and a scrape or three) actual sparring with a live body is twice as relaxing as hitting the bag. Nothing like getting your licks in on another individual. You just have to be willing to take a few too.
BTW, thanks to the work I did for Andy, She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed finally relented and let me buy a gas powered hydraulic splitter. It's still a lot of work, but not nearly as stress relieving as swinging the maul was.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
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August 14, 2008 at 5:52 am
Grant Fritchey (8/14/2008)
I know Steve emphasized hitting pads as a way to take off the stress, but I don't mind suggesting, if you don't object to a few bruises (and jambed fingers and a scrape or three) actual sparring with a live body is twice as relaxing as hitting the bag. Nothing like getting your licks in on another individual. You just have to be willing to take a few too.
Grant,
So true - although now that I'm older it takes alot longer for stuff to heal!
I think martial arts can give you more focus when working through problems.
Mark
August 14, 2008 at 6:10 am
Just a reminder that the other sidetrack for computer people is music. Being a keyboard player and singer I go out on the weekends and pound keys. I have a friend who beats on drums. I'm afraid that's it. My activities for indulging my inner warrier are limited to shooting aliens and other bad guys in the virtual realm. Can you say "Call of Duty" and "DOOM"? :smooooth:
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“Politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularly and for the same reason.”
August 14, 2008 at 6:13 am
That explains why there are 4 software developers out of 12 adults in our dojo. Plenty of times during warm-ups we are talking about coding or technology in general.
August 14, 2008 at 6:16 am
As I'm now somwhat disabled, I can't take part in martial arts, or running (which was a passion).
I get rid of the stress by reading (and writing very bad poetry). And sometimes, when frustrated by some code that looks plausible but doesn't work, by thumping the screen or walking around the building. I can tell when I'm stressed by noticing when my fingers start to drum on the desk.
Amazing how much comes out of you through the pen to paper... Typing it doesn't do it for me, I love the process of physically writing, crossing out, inserting, changing. Once I'm mostly happy, then I'll type it up.
Oh, and watching Doctor Who, via the BBC's excellent iPlayer...
August 14, 2008 at 6:25 am
I am a walker and I learned recently that in times of great stress I stop exercising. I find it very difficult to get back to the same level I was before. I am still stuck in denial that I am that out of shape. Anyhow, I always loved martial arts. I never actually took classes or tried it. But I have been watching the movies since I was a child. During my non-exercise years I got into Japanese anime which is ,if you squint your eyes, pretty martial artsie, at least the ones I watch. There is something about the control of ones self that I find very appealing.
August 14, 2008 at 6:40 am
Steve, agree 100%! At almost 39, I enjoy getting out and doing whatever I can to get some stress release. I play pick-up soccer with several buddies as often as we can, more so during summer and winter(indoor). It is amazing how much release you can get by nailing a hard hit ball in the goal from about 30 yards out! Or taking on about 3 guys and beating them, and putting one in! I coach both my boys (5 & 8) also.
I also burn fire wood to heat my home, and enjoy releasing some aggression force on a nice red oak tree for a few hours.
It is amazing how this makes you feel and increases your concentration level!
August 14, 2008 at 6:47 am
Has martial arts changed as much as it sounds? I thought one of the core tenets of any martial art is using the mind to control the body – at least, this was the case way too many years ago when I was taking Judo classes and our instructor, along with our physical activities, had us study various books and writings about “balance” in one’s life and pursuits – that the mind must be in proper balance or no amount of physical skill and prowess was going to fix anything, let alone ease any stress.
To that end, though I would endorse physical activity, I do not in any way endorse going out at the end of the day and beating the tar out of anything to “relieve stress” – that’s a pipe dream because stress is controlled via the mind NOT the body. Indeed, physical stress, being tired, cramps, or any physical manifestation is in fact, fed by the mind. Control the mind and you control the rest.
Let me offer you an alternative question you might ask yourself: How important is your work? And I mean really think about that. If your job or company fell of the face of the Earth tomorrow, would it be the end of the world for all of us? Are you curing cancer? Are you feeding the world’s hungry people? Are you developing the solution to Global warming? Are you bringing peace to the globe?
…or, are you kidding yourself about your importance to stroke your own ego? Are you fighting with co-workers over how that last SQL query was written because you are ‘certain’ your idea is ‘the right one’ and everyone else is wrong? If so, have you asked that important question; “So what?”
In the early days of my career I took every job I worked way too seriously. Here, nearing the end of my career, I can look back and realize I have worked for three companies that went ‘belly-up’, two that went through large mergers with lots of job cuts (my own included), and two more that were ‘start-ups’ that didn’t survive. What have I learned? Simple – and here it comes – sage wisdom – ready? – It’s just software and data. It’s not the solution to man’s age-old problems, its’ not going to alter the course of the planets and even people who may be working in what seem truly vital industries – remember – someone else is working there too. Lighten up, do your best work because it makes YOU better – not because you perceive some grand over-importance for mankind in the next SQL query you will write.
If you feel you have to break a cinderblock at the end of each day to “relieve stress” – okay, so be it – but trust me; If you don’t have your mental and spiritual house in order, no amount of physical activity is going to budge you forward in dealing with stress. Stress comes from the mind where we think improperly, often over-inflating ourselves, our work, and our place in this world. In the software business this is pure suicide – you are just building ulcers and nice path to a stroke.
And trust me, sure your job is important – after all you’re making money I hope, and thus able to feed yourself – but it’s your family, your children, your friends, and the simple good deeds you do in this world that really matter. Who knows, maybe on your way into work this morning you did some very small kindness to someone that lifted their spirits in a dark time for them. They don’t know your name, but they remember that kindness and how it lifted them. Compare that to any argument over how to structure the best SQL query and tell me which benefitted mankind – even in a small way.
Lighten up – control your mind and spirit – then go karate chop those 2 by 4’s. Because if you don’t have the computer between your ears in order, no amount of any martial art is going to do anything for you in the long run.
August 14, 2008 at 7:01 am
I have to say that physical activity is a great sanity clause in this line work. I've been in and out of dojos myself of varying styles of karate. I recently decided to take leave of it once again because the full-contact portion was jeopardizing my hands.
My instructor favored me, which meant that I was chosen to demonstrate techniques. All too often I found myself inverted or otherwise headed in a downward direction and landing on my fingers or hands. Let's face it; if you damage your hands or eyes in our profession, you're out of work.
Now, I am experiencing the P90X workout. I definitely get the chance to exert myself after a stressful day. Better still, I am plenty tired and can get to bed timely for once.
Great topic!
-Matt
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