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Slobs Found To Be More Productive Than Neatniks
writertype writes "Are you a slob? Do you pile papers on top of folders on top of game boxes? Here's the thing that those anal neat people can't even conceive of: you're more productive than they are. That's the conclusion of "A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder," by Eric Abrahamson and David Freedman, a new book that argues neatness is overrated, costs money, wastes time and quashes creativity."
In other news: People with Anorexia found to be more productive than normal eaters.
"It's quite ingenious!" exclaimed one researcher, "it seems that because Anorexics do not need to take time to eat, they are far more productive!"
When asked whether health implications or possible mortality ensuing from Anorexia could negatively affect productivity, the researcher seemed angered, and left the interview.
On a serious note. One can get a lot done when they don't have to deal with cleaning shit up. But there is a certain point at which the stench, impossibility of finding important items, and spousal/co-worker nagging will counter any increased productivity.
The article is about clutter not hygiene.
My guess -- this article was written by a slob.
Which is the perfect excuse to ask for a raise!
;-)
"But, boss, you really have to admit that MY desk is much more messier than everyone else in this company! I demand more money! See here? We are talking about a freaking 3 DAYS OLD PIZZA, buried under papers and backup tapes for chrissake!!"
I hasten to say that I already got a raise. I am just rehearsing for the end of the year review...
The right to offend is far more important than the right not to be offended. (Rowan Atkinson)
I'm just to busy being productive and I can't remember which stack of papers my keyboard is under.
Take solace in the fact that your roommate's toothbrush is now used only to clean his teeth.
It's just an efficient hashing algorithm.
Canthros
Don't bother to RTFA. That was the only interesting thing in what is an incredibly lame piece of writing (presumably with a worse book to come).
So, now that I have saved you some time, clean your desk!
No. In our cleanup, we actually found $12000 worth of stuff that we needed for our current project and a missing employee.
Athiesm is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby.
I bet I'm not the only one with a significant other that drives them nuts by tidying up all the time. A typical conversation might go something like this:
Me [settling down to watch a movie]: Where is the HMDI lead?
Her Wherever you last left it.
Me I left it on the floor behind the TV.
Her Well I haven't touched it.
Me You must have, it can't have moved itself.
Her I definately haven't moved it. You're always loosing things.
Me Do you even know what it is?
Her What is it?
Me It's a black cable. It was on the floor behind the TV.
Her Oh, I might have put it in one of the boxes in the shed.
Me [angry] So now I've got to put my shoes on and go out into the cold to look through all the boxes in the shed!
Her Don't blame me! You're the untidy one that is always loosing things...
Say it with me: "The plural of anecdote is not data."
So, if you let it become too cluttered, your priority queue degrades into a bubble sort?
"But it already is on your desk, under the pile of unread finance magazines and your coffee mug, between the leaving card for the guy who left last month that you've not signed yet and all those unpaid invoices!"
But I do believe that a really tidy desk is a sure sign that the owner doesn't have enough to do.
Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
But then we get a garbage collection algorithm, too. Every so often, the short-lived objects which are no longer important are removed in your tidying process.
Oh to see the world from a programmers eyes.
Thomas A. Knight
Author of The Time Weaver
And doing a Garbage Collection sweep slows down your productivity, just like in Java, but at least you're getting to control when GC happens, rather than having it happen randomly when you're at your most busy.