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Ask HN: Which daily habit has affected your productivity the most?

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Re: Ask HN: Which daily habit has affected your productivity the most?

#51

Post by JaakkoP »

edavis wrote: post #41

If I avoid all my "info junkie" websites (HN, reddit, political news) between 8am and noon, my productivity skyrockets. It's remarkable. Most importantly, for me, is to avoid those websites even during my "breaks." If I need a quick break, I'll physically get up and away from my computer. Otherwise that "five minutes" usually ends up being closer to an hour or so.

Good for you! I started to do these "physical breaks" also this fall and it's been quite a kick to my productivity. Spending every break on HN / Reddit / FB is not actually a break anymore and it really starts to get tiring to your eyes.

Re: Ask HN: Which daily habit has affected your productivity the most?

#52

Post by thirdtruck »

An hour a day of focused work. I'm approaching a hundred straight days of work on a Kickstarter that, as my first, brought in almost a grand last week.

Sleeping more. I remain under-rested, especially since my day-jobs have always frowned on naps, but I'm making slow improvements. You may not realize how much of a difference it makes until you actually get a good night's sleep.

Getting better sleep. Get tested for sleep apnea. Avoid blue lights for at least an hour before bed. Find someone or something you can cuddle with in bed. I'm serious about the latter; we're a gregarious species and sleeping alone is unnatural and stressful.

Re: Ask HN: Which daily habit has affected your productivity the most?

#53

Post by thirdtruck »

rodrigocoelho wrote: post #15

I started doing Pomodoros [1] recently and I noticed a leap in my productivity. It also helps me to refresh my mind regularly and to stay focused on my tasks more easily. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique

Seconded on pomodoros.

I can credit it with getting me through seven novel drafts, through a successful Kickstarter campaign, and even with helping me find this new, much better-paying job.

Re: Ask HN: Which daily habit has affected your productivity the most?

#55

Post by graeme »

jonnathanson wrote: post #11
untog wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't mean to sound rude, but does "Don't: be annoyed or upset" really make a difference? I mean, who objectively and dispassionately decides to be annoyed or upset?

Emotions aren't a choice, but emotional awareness and control can be. When annoyed or upset, stopping to ask yourself why you're annoyed or upset can be very beneficial. The old "stop, take a deep breath, and count to 10" advice from grade school has some merit. (You don't literally have to stop, take a deep breath, and count to ten. But making a conscious effort to be aware of one's emotions is a worthwhile exercise…

I've found that literally stopping to take a breath is actually a very good practice for this situation. Helps me avoid a lot of bad moods caused by inconsequential things. Process the negative information, realize it's inconsequential, and return to a state of calm.

(I don't count to ten)

This applies for small things, but most things that people get distressed about are small.

Re: Ask HN: Which daily habit has affected your productivity the most?

#56

Post by yen223 »

I can tell you which habit affected my productivity the most. Video games. I used to spend 4-8 hours a day, every day, playing games. Back then, my drug of choice was Civilization 4, and I succumbed hard to the "one... more... turn..." effect, occasionally skipping sleep altogether.

No matter what gamers might claim, there's really no benefit in spending 8 hours a day chasing virtual goals. Cutting back on my gaming sessions resulted in me suddenly having a lot more time for things like sleeping and learning, and has truly made me a better person overall. I only regret not killing the habit sooner.

Re: Ask HN: Which daily habit has affected your productivity the most?

#57

Post by tkellogg »

nnnnnn wrote: post #43

Lifestyle: * Sleep ... 7.5 to 8 hrs, no more no less * Wake up at 8/9 to maximize hours of sunlight * Lift weights 4+ times per week... the four hrs you spend in the gym will be made up for with 10 hrs of productivity throughout the week * Healthy diet (high protein, low carbs, low sugar, fresh food) Computer: * VIM * Avoid HN * Start working right when you get up * Answer emails / do other menial tasks when tired *…

4 hours of lifting a week? That's a lot of time. I know myself well enough that I won't make goals/commitments that I know I won't keep, like this. I have some simple weights in my living space that are hard to ignore. I typically lift for <5 min/day; when I go to the gym I keep it under 20 min to lower the cognitive commitment. It works for me - I can bench press 250 lbs. You really don't need to spend hours at the gym to stay in shape.

Re: Ask HN: Which daily habit has affected your productivity the most?

#59

Post by shawndrost »

untog wrote: post #4
_xhok wrote: post #2

I tried out the trick Jack Dorsey recommended during Startup School 2013: keep a two daily lists of things to do and things not to do. Read it when you wake up, throughout the day, and before you sleep. Here's what's on my list: Do: take a cold shower; meditate; throw yourself in; work on hard problems. Don't: be annoyed or upset; lie down unless to rest without computer. It's working for me pretty well so far. For m…

I don't mean to sound rude, but does "Don't: be annoyed or upset" really make a difference? I mean, who objectively and dispassionately decides to be annoyed or upset?

Emotions are more choice than you're giving credit for. Next time you notice you're feeling annoyed, take a moment to manage your emotional state. Reflect on your day in the broader context; get to the bottom of what's really bothering you (often you just remember that it's mundane and you get over it); think about something you're excited about; consider changing the topic. Often, with ten or fifteen seconds of thought, you can completely transform an unwanted mood.

Re: Ask HN: Which daily habit has affected your productivity the most?

#60

Post by maibaum »

tkellogg wrote: post #57
nnnnnn wrote: post #43

Lifestyle: * Sleep ... 7.5 to 8 hrs, no more no less * Wake up at 8/9 to maximize hours of sunlight * Lift weights 4+ times per week... the four hrs you spend in the gym will be made up for with 10 hrs of productivity throughout the week * Healthy diet (high protein, low carbs, low sugar, fresh food) Computer: * VIM * Avoid HN * Start working right when you get up * Answer emails / do other menial tasks when tired *…

4 hours of lifting a week? That's a lot of time. I know myself well enough that I won't make goals/commitments that I know I won't keep, like this. I have some simple weights in my living space that are hard to ignore. I typically lift for <5 min/day; when I go to the gym I keep it under 20 min to lower the cognitive commitment. It works for me - I can bench press 250 lbs. You really don't need to spend hours at the…

A 1-hr session 4 days a week is a pretty typical lifting regiment. Personally I consider that hour a cognitive release rather than commitment, but to each his own!
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