When demand exceeds supply

By ADAM GIFFORD

All-night coding sessions fuelled by caffeine, soft drinks and junk food - they're a rite of passage in the world of information technology. But is this any way to work?

The caffeine and code marathon is most associated with the Silicon Valley excesses of the dotcom era, when the incentive of share options had staff working well past the limits of the eight-hour day.

In these more financially restrained times some of the participants are questioning whether they were really as productive and innovative and smart as they thought.

But such work styles are part of the risks and rewards that make people want to work in the industry.

Chris Hegan, of Linux specialist Asterisk, says the real challenge in his business is getting staff to get away from their screens.

"We hound them about micropauses and watching for strain injuries," Hegan says. "The problem is many employees will leave their desks here at seven and go home, and then sit down at their screen to work on some pet project."

Asterisk has got past start-up mode, when every project seemed critical to the health of the business.

"In the first year, I think we did burn one guy out, we put him under a lot of pressure," Hegan says. "He stayed with us and recovered, but I think now it was a business mistake to let him work that hard."

Tony Bullen, of customer management software company Stayinfront, says in its early years, when he and developer Gerry Westenberg were developing the Great Elk product, long hours were common.

"It was an essential part of it," says Bullen. "One or two people working in sustained bursts can do a lot, just bulldoze their way through problems.

"When I was in the middle of it, I used to think, 'Oh well, there are people in Japan working harder'.

"There is a seductive side to technology: it is problem-solving, like gaming. When I think what was going on in my head when I did that, some of it is sheer joy, but that gets all muddled with tiredness and fatigue."

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Westenberg, who carried the bulk of the programming load for The Great Elk in the early 1990s, says there were three or four years of starting work around 8.30am and leaving the office about 1am.

"I would sometimes do all-nighters. I had a friend who was a merchant banker, and we would meet at an all-night snack place about 2am for a meal, and then both go back to work," Westenberg says.

Being given shares in the company was a big motivator, even though it took years for the rewards to come.


Westenberg says the only reason he left the office was to get sleep. "It got to a point though where I was getting so much negative feedback from friends and family asking 'Is it worth it?', 'What are you doing it for?' and 'You look so pale'.

"It was horrible on relationships. I lost a couple of girlfriends.

"I used to have shakes. My heart would start beating when I was sitting calmly, and I'd think something was wrong."

Westenberg responded to the imminent burn-out by taking on a new job, working with the now-growing company's implementation partners around the world.

"Now I'm just a quiet guy who works in research and development doing little projects."

Executive psychologist Lisa Markwick says people who must constantly solve problems are particularly vulnerable to stress.

"My loose definition of stress is when demand exceeds supply of energy and creativity. "In the computer industry, it often seems like the skill level, the technical level, the time available is not enough for what is needed."

She says people can also be caught up in greed, thinking that nothing is ever enough, or they try to do too much.

"You can't manage time, you can only manage your own energy."

Survival tips

* A company's culture sets the tone. Some companies are unhealthy. Before you take a job, check the company out.

* Eat a balanced range of healthy, whole foods. And remember, the brain is 80 per cent water, so even a small amount of dehydration can befuddle you. Drink lots of water.

* Do aerobic exercise at least four times a week for 30 to 40 minutes. Park your car a couple of blocks from the office, use the stairs instead of the lift.

* Most people can't concentrate for more than 30 minutes. Have a one or two-minute refocus. Look away from the computer and breathe. It revitalises the body, and allows some creativity to sneak in.

* If you are problem solving, sleep on it. The best sleep occurs immediately you fall asleep and before midnight.