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Design engineers: Can you shut off your brain during non-work hours?
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PwrElectronics:
Just a few days ago I had some thought pop into my semi-awake status just before getting up in the morning.  Yes, it was to do with my current design project and fortunately I remembered it and was able to act on it later that morning.

I've been at this now for a little over 30yrs and although not a real common thing, I have had work related ideas or reminders to do X pop into my brain after work hours many times.  Does not bother me.

Long ago, there was a older mechanical engineer I worked with who once told of when he was a fairly new engineer and working on some sort of gear or transmission project.  He had a dream/nightmare about being chased by gears and woke up in a sweat but was able to solve his problems from some insight gained.
Ed.Kloonk:
Short answer to the OP, yes.

A couple of old man observations, if I may..

The premise of work/non-work hours is confusing since this is a salary-man construct. Believe it or not, engineering is an art and most folks take too long to realize that regular hours and productive hours are not the same thing.

When you realize that you're doing someone else's work on your time is when you've finally evolved enough to begin branching out and walking your own path in regards to time management. For some, that means the daunting transition over to self-employment.

Apply regular critical analysis to your mindset as you would some project.
John B:
Thinking about designing and problem solving during all waking hours, and possibly sub-consciously during non-waking hours, is a feature not a bug.
Stray Electron:

--- Quote from: John B on June 13, 2023, 11:21:22 pm ---Thinking about designing and problem solving during all waking hours, and possibly sub-consciously during non-waking hours, is a feature not a bug.

--- End quote ---

  No, to some of us it's a curse. My doctor finally prescribed Zolpidem for me so that I could get to sleep otherwise I was like the walking dead the next day due to a lack of sleep. Since starting Zolpidem I'm 100% functional the next day and I'm often up by 6AM and I often work past 11 at night.  After years of never getting a full night's sleep I've found that I can function perfectly well on about 5 to 6 hours of good sleep per night.
Bud:
I hear you. I have a friend who got into sleep problems , his drivers license was suspended (I guess by recommendation from his physician) and his wife drove him to work for a few months before he got re-evaluated and his drivers license was reinstated. No joke, that may happen, so folks think about it, no work worth it.
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