Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:43 pm
If I hit a point in a task that will free me up for longer than it takes to glance at my email, I usually take that as a hint it is time to context switch and work on one of the other five things I'm doing for a while. Whether it is a long compile, a benchmark run, some test, or a simulation, time when the computer is off doing stuff without me is when I context switch. Yes, it will probably be an hour or more before I get back to it and it may only take 10 minutes, but it is the only way I can make efficient use of the time.
Now, if the project happens to be top priority and can't be context switched out, or if I am just fried and need a break, I'll usually hit the web for a bit and catch up on the news or something.
--SS