[149956] in North American Network Operators' Group
Re: common time-management mistake: rack & stack
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jared Mauch)
Fri Feb 17 08:36:59 2012
From: Jared Mauch <jared@puck.nether.net>
In-Reply-To: <201202170817.IAA09390@sunf10.rd.bbc.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:35:54 -0500
To: Brandon Butterworth <brandon@rd.bbc.co.uk>
Cc: nanog@nanog.org
Errors-To: nanog-bounces+nanog.discuss=bloom-picayune.mit.edu@nanog.org
On Feb 17, 2012, at 3:17 AM, Brandon Butterworth wrote:
>> I have noticed that a lot of very well-paid, sometimes
>> well-qualified, networking folks spend some of their time on "rack &
>> stack" tasks, which I feel is a very unwise use of time and talent.
>=20
> It's not a waste, it's therapeutic, breaks the monotony of a desk
> job, you get a bit of exercise. Doing something mindless can help
> clear your thoughts, engineering yoga.
+1 I find this myself, it's useful to do this, as it is to sit =
in with the operations team and other groups (even finance) to =
understand what other groups need/require. I've often found that =
someone is working around a problem they didn't know you could solve =
(easily), or is doing a large amount of manual labor when there is an =
API, etc.
Perspective is good. I also do other work that certainly isn't =
a complete use of my talents that benefits others (e.g.: chaperone a =
field-trip at school). These are not without merits, but I do know I =
have my faults in perhaps reading (and responding) to NANOG too much =
when I should be engaged in more worthwhile tasks.
>> Imagine if the CFO of a bank spent a big chunk of his time filling up =
ATMs.
>=20
> That'd be a good idea, it's too easy to become remote from reality.
> obviously you need the right balance - s/big//
- Jared=
