The bakery counter in Philly that taught me to trust my gut on proofing times

Last month I stopped at a small corner bakery near Reading Terminal Market and watched the baker pull loaves that had clearly overproofed, but he shaped them anyway and they came out with this amazing open crumb. I asked him about it and he said he stopped watching the clock years ago, he just waits until the dough feels like a water balloon that's about to burst. That got me thinking about all the times I've tossed dough because the recipe said 45 minutes and it wasn't doubled yet. Now I'm trying to slow down and go by feel, but my kitchen runs cold so I'm still second guessing myself at hour one. Has anyone else found that their proofing times are way off from what recipes say, especially in winter apartments? I'd love to hear what visual cues you trust more than timers.

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