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Journal tomhudson's Journal: The "sunk costs" fallacy strikes again ... 30

Journal by tomhudson

I'll probably be quiting my job later today.

Those of us who actually have to work with the code think it should just be tossed. Realistically, that's not going to happen, and its not my place to tell them how to run their business, so the right thing to do, the honourable thing, is to bow out.

My friends have said I should "tough it out" and stay there while I look for another job, but, quite frankly, its already taken its toll. I've lost almost 10 pounds in the last month (weight I really didn't need to lose, thank you ... I just forget to eat while at work, and the next thing I know its 6:30 at night and my lunch is now going to be my supper), and I'm not getting enough sleep. For example, I finally fell asleep after 1:30 this morning, and was awake before 5. This has been more or less the "norm" during weekdays for at least the last couple of weeks, and its not sustainable.

There's no interest in actually writing out a specification, never mind in documenting anything, for the usual reason - "maybe later - right now we want this ..." Trying to explain that "you really can't get there from here" just gets the "maybe you're not talented enough" routine.

I know documentation is a problem - most people hate writing it even more than they hate reading it, so getting them to take even one hour to sit down and write out a preliminary spec is like pulling teeth. It doesn't feel "productive."

"There's never enough time to do it right, but there's always enough time to do it over, badly."

Its sad, really, because it takes MORE time than doing it right the first time, and you still end up with the same problems you had before, but people who haven't internalized that code is as much (or more) a process as a product fall for what is known as the fallacy of sunk costs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_cost. They look at the time and money invested in producing the bad code, and figure that its better to spend more resources to "rehabilitate" the investment, not realizing (or not being in a position to justify) that the true value in the bad code is that it should point the way to implementing good code and good processes.

This "sunk costs" problem isn't just a business problem ... we see this behaviour around us all the time, whether its people who continue to try to make a bad marriage work even if it kills them, or won't throw out that old 386 that they paid $3,000 for while typing on their new $600 laptop with 50x the ram, 100x the cpu, and 200x the storage.

Anyway, I've got the feeling that my blood pressure is through the roof - I noticed a few symptoms last week - and I'll be making the decision as to whether I just leave, or try one last time to propose changes, based strictly on the numbers I get from the doc.

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The "sunk costs" fallacy strikes again ... More

The "sunk costs" fallacy strikes again ...

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  • Just take the "Office Space" aproach and stop caring. It can be quite liberating to go to a job with a mindset of "I just don't care."

    I recommend that whenever you are assigned an urgent task, reply that you'll get right on it, then as soon as your supervisor turns around walk out the door, buy some coffee somewhere, browse a bookstore or two, etc. Maybe even go hit a bucket of balls at the driving range.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Talinom ( 243100 ) *
      I second this proposal. Turn down the care knob before it kills you.

      When I was working at a large aerospace company the workgroup I was in and myself talked one of our members down from a near heart attack. Really. He was as red as a tomato and had high blood pressure to boot.

      It isn't that you aren't qualified. You are. It isn't that you aren't doing the best job you can. You are. You are allowing a mere job to have too much influence on the quality of your life. I keep home at home and work at work.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by plover ( 150551 ) *
        I don't second it.

        You call it "the care knob", but I call it passion for doing my job. I've never been in a position where I wanted to care less about what I was doing, and I think that accounts for a lot of my success. Sure, there are times when things get hectic, and then hellacious, but the passion for "doing the right thing" is what keeps me going (and keeps me valuable.)

        Tom, I was in your position about 15 years ago. Most of the team had left virtually simultaneously, leaving me and one other gu

        • I'm taking the rest of the week off (doctor's orders - I've lost too much weight and my blood pressure is not so great).

          I've offered an alternative twice. Nothing has happened. I'll offer it up again for discussion and/or negotiation Monday, but as far as I'm concerned, I have no interest working with the current code base.

    • Or just allow yourself to coast while looking for a new job. Figure it'll take a couple weeks for them to get mad enough to want to get rid of you and that's time you can spend not giving a rat's ass while still getting paid. And hopefully during those weeks you'll find yourself something better.

      • Its a good idea, but I'm not "made" that way. I take my work seriously, and I can't just "slack off" because they "may or may not have it coming." Two wrongs still don't make a right.

        I need the money, but I'd rather do without.

        • I need the money, but I'd rather do without.

          More to the point, the money helps, but not if you have to spend it on hospital bills.

          • "More to the point, the money helps, but not if you have to spend it on hospital bills."

            Well, there are a few hospital bills I would be VERY happy to have the opportunity to spend money on ;-)

            • Well, there are a few hospital bills I would be VERY happy to have the opportunity to spend money on ;-)

              Yes, but not those related to keeping your blood pressure in check (or worse, what would happen if you didn't keep it in check)!

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by fcgreg ( 670777 )

          I have to agree with you. I've had friends give me such advice in the past, but I'm not wired that way. I care too much about the quality of my work, my work ethic, etc. to permit myself such behavior.

          I was in a nearly identical situation as yours. My health, sleep, and personal life were suffering. The business practices were as you describe, to the extreme. To survive, several of my colleagues had adopted the "Office Space" approach, which at this company was very safe -- this was a very large semi

          • I know what you mean ... sitting around coasting is like theft. Why sit around and coast when you can be out looking for something you'll actually enjoy, and be appreciated for?
        • Yeah, I couldn't do it either. It would gnaw at me. But for some people it would be a viable option.

          Glad to see you're taking the time off, even if it is on doctor's orders. It'll give you a few days to think about things while removed from the stress of actually having to deal with them.

          Good luck whatever you decide to do.

          • That's basically my thinking ... it gets me away from the causes of the stress, and gives me the time to think about:

            1. what I can do to fix the problems
            2. if its even my problem to fix
            3. alternatives

            In this case, I can see how, even if they went for my proposed design instead, there will be problems because they don't understand the value of taking the time to draw up "blueprints" - design specifications, etc.

            It reminds me of the "3 laws":

            1. no matter what they say, there's always a problem;
            2. its always a p

  • ....make sure that the next job isn't exactly the same. I've switched jobs only to find out that "the more things change, the more they stay the same". That's the nature of my industry (semiconductor design), but perhaps not yours.

    If ya gotta change jobs, be sure you're going to be happy with the change. But you know that already.

    • At this point, I'd even switch careers. My health has to come first, and the only person who can take responsibility for that is me.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by dave-tx ( 684169 ) *

        I've thought about that as well. In my case, I feel like I've railroaded myself into this career, and it would take too much time/money/effort to change. Besides, I'm too much a chicken to make such a large change in my life.

        • "In my case, I feel like I've railroaded myself into this career, and it would take too much time/money/effort to change. Besides, I'm too much a chicken to make such a large change in my life."

          Sounds like you've bought a bit into the sunk costs fallacy too. Its never to late to change.

          • Its never to late to change.

            The problem with that approach is that you might as well stick it out a while longer - it's never too late to change. Before you know it you're in a casket, looking stiff. The correct approach would be: Tomorrow is too late to change.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by dave-tx ( 684169 ) *

            If I were single, I would seriously consider it - or might have already done it. I've found that I'm much more risk-averse (such as accumulating debt) now that I'm married. Plusses and minuses, I suppose.

            But you know, when push comes to shove, if I really was as miserable as I like to think I am I'd find a way to get out and do something different.

  • From you describe they don't know the difference between sunk costs and cutting their losses. If they cannot, or will not, accept that, then you're doing the right thing by cutting your losses.

    • All I know is that the last few weeks, I'd go in, and completely forget to each lunch, and next thing I know, its time to leave. I went to my sister's yesterday and she said that I had lost so much weight I looked like an AIDS patient.

      Today, I decided not to go in, it's not even noon, and I've already eaten breakfast AND lunch (lasagna goodness :-), and a snack. At least my appetite's back.

      Its a good thing, too ... I was shocked to see how little I weight AFTER eating a decent breakfast.

      • If only Paypal allowed weight transfers I could send at least fifty pounds your way;-) In all seriousness though, it is refreshing to see following their own advice on a personal level. That just seems to happen to infrequently these days.

        • I don't need 50 pounds, but at least 5 to 10, minimum minimum minimum.

          My sister said I looked like I had AIDS. I went to the clinic, and my BP is 150/100, which is not the best news in the world. I go back Tuesday evening for another check. I'll be dropping the doctor's note off at the office, and telling them that we'll discuss things Monday (the doc would probably have given me a week off, but I told him that I want this resolved quickly).

  • That really you Avi? What's with that pretend tomhudson moniker?

  • Gah (Score:2)

    by nizo ( 81281 ) *
    Good luck and good health to you, regardless of what you end up doing. Sounds crappy all the way around.
  • I too stayed in jobs too long for the cash and hated it. I think you should always quit before it's too late, once you've made yourself sick it's hard to make yourself better.

    I quit in May and have job I'm a lot happier in now, took all my savings to find the job and the pay is worse, but it does make me happy.

    • I've decided to look at this as an opportunity

      It can go good in many ways.

      1. Perhaps they'll take another look at what I had proposed as an alternate architecture, and we can work something out. A win-win for everyone.
      2. Or perhaps not, in which case I'll be looking elsewhere, and that "elsewhere" will be the whole of North America, not just here in Québec.
      3. Or I could go back to freelancing
      4. Or I could do something completely different for a while
      5. Or look for a position somewhere in *gasp* managemen

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