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Comment by bambax | Hacker News Reader

One of the benefits of working from home is you can adopt any position you want. My favorite one is being reclined in a chair with my feet on the desk and keyboard in my lap; it doesn't help with the lack of exercise but it completely solves back pain.

But in most offices it seems to send a strong "slacking" signal; people go out of their way to come to you and laugh or ask if you would maybe need a cocktail as well.

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During a rough problem code session, I leaned back in my chair, hands behind my head, deep in thought about the problem, when the VP of engineering walked by. A few hours later, my boss called me into his office to let me know he complained about the money being spent on engineering and "...some engineer just sitting back, taking it easy in his office!".

This sounds like one of those dad jokes people used to fax each other in offices in the 1980s.

Dear VP of engineering, as a programmer, I sometimes need to stare off into space to visualize a complex system. <my boss> should have explained this, but didn’t, which I think is a failure to do their job.

Sounds like a good way to get fired! Although I think everywhere has people in management that don’t understand how programmers minds work. It’s too difficult to try to educate them without them feeling like they are being patronised. Maybe time to move on anyway.

My old VP was a terrible micromanager and also a former programmer way back when. He would make comments similar to this one weekly or a few times a month. My company just opened up a new office with random areas to hang out, ping pong tables and the like. Funny watching him pace around all day while everyone else enjoys themselves.

How do you make someone remember what is was like?

> Although I think everywhere has people in management that don’t understand how problem solving works

Fixed that for you. This isn't exclusive to programming.

Resign. Find another company.if your management chain nitpicks on this, it is a sign of greater trouble.

Sometimes I prefer to stand; other times sit; and others reclined on the sofa (or in a chair). In general, I feel like new correlates with standing, while refinement is sitting, and finishing can be done reclined.

What's common to all is the amount of space in front of me. I don't seem to like my desk parked facing and against the wall. It feels too restricting.

I know. Odd.

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