Ask HN: How do you create productive habits? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you create productive habits?

#11

Post by alextheparrot » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 7:58 PM UTC

cylinder wrote: post #9

Can I hijack and ask, how do I become a "determined" person with grit? Is it learnable? If something becomes too hard, I just convince myself the success is not worth it or not attainable. I might actually be right. Success might not be worth it. It seems winners are usually more motivated by hatred and fear of losing / failure than the joy of winning. You see this with sports stars all the time (MJ).

Have you listened to the Freakonomics podcast [1] on this exact question? It was an interesting exploration of "How to get more grit". If I remember correctly, many of the episodes around that time period (May of this year) were about getting good at things/self-improvement [2].

[1] http://freakonomics.com/podcast/grit/

[2] http://freakonomics.com/archive/ (Around episode 245)

Re: Ask HN: How do you create productive habits?

#12

Post by jacquesm » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 8:04 PM UTC

When I really have to work I use a chess clock. Old fashioned, mechanical, large and an ugly reminder of my time 'off the clock' because then the other clock starts to tick. The ratio between those two is the thing to maximize and it's extremely easy to use. Stop working just push one button, start working press again on the opposite side.

Very useful little trick and way easier to use than anything online or in an 'app'.

Re: Ask HN: How do you create productive habits?

#13

Post by pdq » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 8:12 PM UTC

Pomodoro technique [1].

Break your time/tasks into 25-minute chunks, where you focus on a single task (no context-switching, pauses, breaking). Rinse, repeat.

I use Flat Tomato on the iPhone, and I can track how many pomodoros I complete each day/month, which gives a good feedback as to my goal tracking.

[1] http://caps.ucsd.edu/Downloads/tx_forms/koch/pomodoro_handou...

Re: Ask HN: How do you create productive habits?

#14

Post by ksikka » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 8:29 PM UTC

Constrain the time you have to do something.

Work often fills the time you give it. If you try to achieve something in a short amount of time, you'll be forced to work at 100% with full focus to get it done ASAP. I'm always amazed at how sometimes a dreadful task takes 10-20 minutes when I'm forced to do it in that timespan, but if I have an hour to do it, it'll take an hour.

To make the constraint feel real, put yourself in a situation where you only have a short period of time before something else must happen, like a meeting. Then you can trick yourself to get started and see how far you can get in 20 minutes.

Re: Ask HN: How do you create productive habits?

#15

Post by asimuvPR » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 8:38 PM UTC

I've personally had success with starting small and simple. I pick a habit that promises improvements and do one small and simple thing every day related to it. As it becomes a habit I can see results and adjust accordingly.

The best habit I have formed is to see the benefits of actions and forcing me every day to do them (by starting small and simple).

Its not a race. It takes time. Sometimes years. Be kind to yourself. You will make mistakes. Identify the mistake and learn from it. Then move on.

Re: Ask HN: How do you create productive habits?

#16

Post by jseliger » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 8:40 PM UTC

Have something I really, really want to do, and do that thing until it's done. Sort of the top idea in your mind: http://paulgraham.com/top.html.

Re: Ask HN: How do you create productive habits?

#17

Post by dominotw » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 8:40 PM UTC

hacknat wrote: post #4

By being interested in what you are working on.

But you have to get to the point of developing interest in the first place. Developing Passion needs hardwork.

Re: Ask HN: How do you create productive habits?

#18

Post by sdegutis » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 8:43 PM UTC

jseliger wrote: post #16

Have something I really, really want to do, and do that thing until it's done. Sort of the top idea in your mind: http://paulgraham.com/top.html .

This is difficult when you have 3 things that all tie for #1, and since they need to be sorted into #1 through #3, that sorting isn't stable sorting, so each time you mentally sort it, they might end up in another order. So #1 changes all the time.

Re: Ask HN: How do you create productive habits?

#19

Post by franciscop » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 8:56 PM UTC

bemmu wrote: post #10

After years of trying to learn Japanese through osmosis by living here, this year I managed to get myself to seriously study again despite not going to school anymore. It's a combination of a study app called Nihongo and a reminder/streak app called Commit. Now after studying about 30 mins daily for 6 months I've started to really enjoy my study sessions, and the joy of seeing the characters I've learned in my daily…

I made my own app to learn the kanjis from the book; it was the same as the book but I'd just flip cards on my phone and I'd learn more than in any lesson

Re: Ask HN: How do you create productive habits?

#20

Post by pcmaffey » Sun, Jul 10, 2016, 9:10 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #12

When I really have to work I use a chess clock. Old fashioned, mechanical, large and an ugly reminder of my time 'off the clock' because then the other clock starts to tick. The ratio between those two is the thing to maximize and it's extremely easy to use. Stop working just push one button, start working press again on the opposite side. Very useful little trick and way easier to use than anything online or in an '…

Thanks for this. I've been looking for an excuse to buy a chess clock.