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Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

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Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#291

Post by serf »

czech wrote: post #280
rcconf wrote: post #192

I watched a YouTube video and this person explained a really neat concept. Your life is like a game. In this game, you have different stats and you must increase each stat. For example, in a typical game you may have: - Health - Attack Level - Money - Magic Level In games, you try to increase each of these stats to create the best and strongest character. Life is very similar, but the stats are: - Work - Social Life…

Sounds like "Jones in the Fast Lane" (1990) from Sierra. Here's a review and gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJQ8LyOMl3E

Jones in the Fast Lane is one the most late 80s early 90s aesthetic games ever. The color palette, especially.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#292

Post by winrid »

What do you have to look forward to after work?

I have no problem getting up a few hours before work, going for a walk, and then working on one of my projects, and then working on them again after work. I'm not suggesting this.

However, what I'm suggesting is you have things to look forward to aside from work.

Also, a lot of people use constant work as a way to procrastinate from taking care of important things in your life, like relationships or self improvement. It can feel like meeting that next PR before 8pm is moving you forward, but it probably isn't.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#293

Post by gretch »

rcconf wrote: post #192

I watched a YouTube video and this person explained a really neat concept. Your life is like a game. In this game, you have different stats and you must increase each stat. For example, in a typical game you may have: - Health - Attack Level - Money - Magic Level In games, you try to increase each of these stats to create the best and strongest character. Life is very similar, but the stats are: - Work - Social Life…

I think your model holds but a key point that needs to be pointed out is that in a game, the game tells you how to win -kill a monster, find a item, etc. In life, there is no higher power to assign you an ultimate objective (unless you are religious).

Without this directive, your model holds, but there aren't principles for how one should distribute his/her stats. Why is it that one should strive to be ~uniformly distributed? As others have pointed out, in video games, often beating the game involves a min/max strategy. Even in real life, we see some people who do very well by going all in on 1 category (maybe work, or social) while forgoing others.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#294

Post by danilocesar »

As someone working remote for the last 10 years: Home office is all about routine (to start and to finish). Can be anything: you can cook, play an instrument, play a game, take a walk, exercise, read a book or even call someone. Doesn't matter as long as you have something to do.

The important thing is to find something to do and do not do nothing, otherwise your brain will trick yourself to stay working longer: it's always just one more email, just one more commit...

That said: each person is different and what works for me might not be a perfect fit for you.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#295

Post by CarbyAu »

xapata wrote: post #286
enraged_camel wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The reason minmaxing works in RPGs is because of the limitations of the simulation, which real-life doesn't have. A mage with 1 STR and 18 INT may work when trying to beat a game, but in real life he or she would live a miserable existence: https://www.dmingwithcharisma.com/2011/10/dd-stats-in-simple... (Good dungeon masters keep the above rubric in mind when running their games, btw, so as to discourage "gaming" the…

But a good party is often one with specialized characters, so each can shine.

Which is teamwork, thus requiring good social...

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#296

Post by CarbyAu »

Two routines, consistently.

The routine doesn't have to be hard, but it should require you to pay attention.

When you commute, it is simply a routine. When you are at the other end, you are in the other mode.

Normally, the routine to "get to work" is different from the routine to "get home". Maybe only the landmarks are reversed but they are different all the same.

You could:

- take a walk around the block. One way to get to "work". The other way to get "home".

- do bodyweight strength exercises to "get to work". Do stretches to "get home".

- recite a motivational speech to get to work. Recite a prayer, to get home.

- make a coffee to get to work. Drink a soda to get home.

It doesn't matter what the routine is, the point is: consistent routine = this is coming next.

The routine gives your mind a trigger to know what is coming next and "prepare you for it"/"get you in the mood".

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#297

Post by sixdimensional »

ketanhwr wrote: post #227
sixdimensional wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you happen to have the link? This sounds really cool. I worked on something similar for fun as a side project, didn’t get far. It was sort of based on how the Sims game has these stats, but not a video game, more of self improvement tool.

I think this is what he's talking about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAhsXyO3Ck Even if it isn't - this is a must watch video!

Thanks for sharing, that's a great video, really found it helpful.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#298

Post by kalyantm »

I found that inculcating simple habits like the following, helped me: * I have a workstation setup with a monitor, keyboard and other desk utils. All "work" happens only on my desk. The minute i walk away, i dont do any work related actions. (I've never used my work laptop as a "laptop", it's always docked on my desk) * Never check slack/work IM on mobile. Unless it's a fire in production, and u are constantly pinged resist that urge to open the office IM tool away from your workstation -> especially when you are eating (i had this issue before) * Have a hard stop to your "working day". Although u are at home, 9-5 is "working hours" -> i go to the gym/for a run at 4 pm everyday => slowly signalling to my brain that "work" is over for the day.
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