What is Balmer's Peak, and what effect does it have?is having on performance? Many scientific studies have been carried out that tested how alcohol and night work affect the programmer’s central nervous system and its performance. Why do programmers like to work at night and is it worth it? Readers will learn about this from the article.
Phenomenon
What is the "peak of Ballmer"?This is an amazing phenomenon, according to which the efficiency of a programmer depends on the amount of alcohol he drinks during work. Many scientists and programmers themselves confirm the positive effect of alcohol on creativity, endurance, memory, the ability to solve complex problems in a short time. Productivity depends not only on the amount of alcohol consumed, but also on the time of day.
The so-called "peak" was opened in the eightiesyears at Microsoft. There is still no correct explanation why alcohol in a certain dosage has a positive effect on the performance of a programmer. The correct blood alcohol concentration should be between 0.129 and 0.138%. Many people wonder why, with such doses, the programmer gains superhuman abilities, and is it really so? It must be remembered that the "peak", opened by Steve Ballmer, is quite a subtle effect that requires some calibration. Work at night contributes to this effect, strengthens it many times and even is considered a necessary condition for its achievement.
True or fiction
"Balmer Peak" - a myth or reality?Some programmers still use alcohol as a positive factor for productive work at night. Solving complex problems requires a certain attitude, concentration, and endurance. After taking a certain dose of alcohol, the spectrum of possibilities objectively comes, the degree of perception is narrowed, introversion increases. The paradox is that in a relaxed (moderate) state programmers show the best results.
In some cases, there is inhibitioncentral nervous system, reduction of the spectrum of perception. Alcohol is contraindicated for people who are trying to relax while driving, but for the creative it is even useful (in small doses). “Balmer Peak” is characterized by the fact that the programmer has improved concentration, decreases internal stress and self-criticality threshold. According to doctors, this phenomenon is explained quite simply: by itself, alcohol interferes with the normal functioning of the brain, dulls attention, reduces the rate of reaction.
В данной ситуации мозг продолжает искать ресурсы for activity, ceases to concentrate on the little things that distract from the solution of the problem. At some point, the programmer begins to see a solution to a problem or a question, that is, the picture as a whole, and not in detail (as a sober person). This effect is also called "healthy pofigizm."
Who is it?
Many do not know who Steve Ballmer is.Microsoft Corporation, in which he worked for fourteen years as CEO, owes a great deal to this man. Before becoming a director, he was a regular employee who was invited to work by Bill Gates in the 1980s. Today Ballmer is considered one of the richest people in the world. His fortune is estimated at 15 billion dollars. Working in a corporation, he led the development of Windows and MC-DOS. During the leadership of Ballmer, the corporation increased its revenues several times. Steve Ballmer is known for his difficult, explosive nature, high demands on the employees of the corporation. Balmer’s shortcomings include Microsoft’s weak Internet search position, late (late) entry into the mobile device market, missed opportunities, and a fall in corporate shares of more than thirty percent.
В то же время Стив Балмер считается одним из The most eccentric executives in the entire history of Microsoft. It was he who discovered the effect of the programmer's alcohol productivity and called it "Ballmer's peak". It can be said that Ballmer, for the first time in his own body, investigated the effect of a certain dose of alcohol, which had a positive effect on performance.
Study
According to a scientific study that testedcredibility of the "peak", scientists have concluded that alcohol has different effects on the brain. A human programmer has certain abilities, knowledge and skills that can produce concrete results in a certain environment. Programmers took part in the research, who at night under the influence of certain doses of alcohol performed complex tasks. The study showed that some really coped with the work without losing concentration. Many programmers perceived the "peak" as an opportunity to drink. The negative experience of the study of "Balmer's Peak" is that they speculate on this topic and even produce special alcoholic cocktails for programmers of the same name. Scientists have come to the conclusion that the so-called “peak” is nothing but the result of a good advertising campaign.
Ideal programmer
Programming abilities are special qualities that characterize a professional in the field of IT-technologies.
- Technical skills. A good programmer has experience developing in various programming languages.
- Readiness for learning. A valuable shot is always ready for retraining, he likes to educate himself and not to stop there.
- Debugging The programmer not only creates the code, but also quickly gets to the core of the problem (errors in the code).
- Ability to work in any environment. Possible noise, chaos and confusion in the office ideally do not interfere with the focus of the programmer who knows his business.
- The ability to quickly solve problems. A good specialist finds different ways to solve a problem and does not stop halfway.
- Passion for work.Real programmers spend their free time at the computer (they play games, build servers, create applications). Is it good for health? Not. But in another way they do not know how.
- Resistance to stress. The ideal programmer copes with any difficult situation.
- The ability to communicate with people. Despite the fact that communication with a computer is the responsibility of a programmer, it is equally important for people to find a common language with people.
- Understanding of business processes. A good specialist knows how a business works.
- The ability to plan. A programmer is an employee who needs time planning skills, which has a positive effect on work and the successful implementation of assigned tasks.
- Overcoming failures. Ability to cope with failures in work is a valuable ability of a professional.
- Teamwork. A programmer is a loner who, if necessary, can work productively in a team.
- Willingness to research. Teamwork can sometimes be the beginning of a research activity.
- Deadlines. Ability to hand over work in a short time is the useful quality of a good professional.
How much should you drink
In order to experience peak productivity,need to know what dose of alcohol will be required. Of course, we are not talking about the state of complete loss of control over oneself and the situation. The amount of alcohol depends on the body weight of the person. For an eighty-kilogram male programmer, the optimal dose is 0.05% (this is a liter of beer or one hundred grams of vodka). In order to reach the "peak", you need to drink 250 grams of vodka or 2.5 liters of beer. For women, this dose is much less. Remember that alcohol is harmful to health, so it is not recommended to put experiments on yourself to achieve a “special” state.
Alcohol peak
«Пик Балмера» - это специфическое состояние, во the time of which the brain concentrates on a particular problem under the influence of alcohol. At the "peak" you need to create, if it is reached, and not enjoy the state of intoxication. This is the difference between productive activities and the simple desire to drink. In addition, it is important to monitor the level of alcohol in the blood. If you skip the "peak", it will be the usual intoxication, which does not allow to work, and to think - all the more. It is easy enough to lose control if the “peak” system is not automated and not perfected.
Right time
Why do programmers work at night?One of the most objective versions is associated with the "Ballmer peak". According to Steve Ballmer, for explanations should refer to the law Yerkes-Dodson, which established the relationship between the excitation of the central nervous system and health. In addition, night work may be a necessity that is not related to the programmer’s desire. In any case, among the IT people the rule works: “Night is the right time.” Given the combination of many factors, you can achieve your goal. Working at night means not having a sufficient level of self-organization and self-control, but to have a great psychological potential and resource. Night is the ideal time for an IT specialist to work. At night, it is difficult to be distracted by trifles and it is easy to concentrate on the task. Under the influence of the minimum amount of alcohol it is even easier to do.
Negative experience
Needless to say that work at night is ablelight intoxication and excitement of the central nervous system may not bring the desired results to the programmer. Some experts have expressed negative experiences about the "Ballmer Peak", which can lead to a loss of concentration in the initial stages and even to alcoholism. The negative experience is that in the pursuit of productivity and the disclosure of potential it is easy to cross the border. Work will be associated with the ability to drink alone, which inevitably leads to the degradation of professional and personal.
Harm
Ballmer’s peak – явление, которой в большей degree can hurt than give a positive effect. As you know, alcohol is one of the ways to “let off excess steam”, but it can also have a negative impact on a person’s psycho-emotional and physical health. If you regularly use alcohol to achieve "Ballmer Peak", you can develop a negative habit, and the work will be perceived as an opportunity to drink alone again. In addition, alcohol (in the case, if it is used uncontrollably) has a negative effect on health, reactions and performance. Over time, the programmer will not be able to perform even elementary tasks.
Benefit
Well-known programmers claim that success inprofessional activity can be achieved only through their own knowledge, the ability to independently regulate their own behavior. Limited potential is a factor of positive action "Ballmer Peak". The use of small doses of alcohol required for solving complex problems is not justified, since it is one of the ways to achieve results in the shortest possible time.
Successful individuals
Many famous programmers know whatwork at night. Whether among them those who use alcohol to improve productivity and solve complex problems is not known for certain. Conrad Zuse, Kemeny John, Dijkstra Edsger Vayb, Ershov Andrey Petrovich, Douglas Karl Engelbart, Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Kaspersky Yevgeny Valentinovich, Yevgeny Roshal, Sergey Brin, Andrew Tanenbaum, Linus Torvalds, Steve Jobs are among the popular personalities in the field of programming. For example, Bill Gates developed and founded the world's leading software company, Microsoft. In addition, he created the MS DOS operating system, Excel and Word.
