Sign up for Meetup and go and do something completely different and random outside your comfort zone, usual location and contacts.
That and exercise. A walk is good enough.
Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?
71–80 of 178 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
Video games, social media, Netflix, screen time, and similar passive activities can zap real life, sociability, and mental health right out of you. I have electric fruit fly traps that produce blue light. Two flies with one stone. :) I take a multivitamin, D3 + K2, zinc, magnesium, iron (deficiency), and fish oil. Low T can also cause many problems (a medication I was on caused it). Diet is important too. Cardio exer…
Video games actually helped me a lot. It is a nice simple distraction and depending on the game, I got a small sense of achievement from it. One of my all time favorites is the portal series. A documentary on netflix that challenged how I think was very nice in helping me use my brain without having to worry about getting charged emotions. HN is the most useful social media sites I use and helps me stay in touch with…
I'm coming back around to computer games. Short sessions, usually late in the evening is a great stress reliver and an alternative to alcohol for me.
Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?
#73Exercise. Try daily rigorous cardio workout for 30 minutes a day. AFAIK the brain releases endorphins or something when you exercise, so you actually get a high out of exercising (in addition to getting fitter). Do it in the morning so that you'll feel good till noon atleast. Once you're in a good mood positive things will start happening. Cheers :)
> AFAIK the brain releases endorphins or something when you exercise People tell me this all the time, but when I exercise I just feel tired afterwards? Maybe it only happens to people who are fit who have a history of exercising regularly?
I have the same issue. So I do it in the evening (even though everyone says not to). Improves my sleep dramatically, and the next day I feel rested (which is not normally always the case)
Of course, don't listen to 120 bpm music to 'energize' you while you do it. And YMMV.
Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?
#74I feel buddy. I have been there before. The one "trick" that has helped me tremendously: I force myself to to work on something just little bit. A tiny bit and then built on that. 10min, 15min a day. Just get a bit going.
Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?
#75Could this be seasonal (assuming you're in the Northern hemisphere)? Try a session on a sunbed, see if it makes a difference.
Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?
#76Small victories.
Start with the smallest, simplest task you can complete. The endorphins from that you apply to the next small job and so on. Ideally each of these small tasks move you a tiny step towards your end goal(s).
The idea is to create and maintain a positive flow / momentum. If you stumble step back to something smaller and regain momentum. The difference with discipline (also a valuable trait) is that a good flow makes you _want_ instead of _need_, a more positive and less stressful mindset.
Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?
#77When I was at University I tried to finish smaller tasks first and then move to bigger ones. Why? The sense of completing something small gave me an impuls and motivation to focus on bigger things.
I have exactly the same thing, gain a few small victories to increase my morale and gather a bit of momentum. I know people warn against this because it can result in perpetually avoiding the bigger items, but I haven't suffered from this.
Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?
#78When I was at University I tried to finish smaller tasks first and then move to bigger ones. Why? The sense of completing something small gave me an impuls and motivation to focus on bigger things.
I have exactly the same thing, gain a few small victories to increase my morale and gather a bit of momentum. I know people warn against this because it can result in perpetually avoiding the bigger items, but I haven't suffered from this.
When I could chose I would take care of smaller, easier exams first and then focus on big one. Some collogues of mine did the opposite, first they took car of the hard exams and then do the small ones.
I don't know if you came across this [1]: "If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another.
By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.
If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right."
This kid of encapsulates what I do.
[1] https://alcalde.texasexes.org/2014/05/mcraven-to-grads-to-ch...
Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?
#79Take a beat and write it down. You can try journaling or even brainstorming about the way you feel on a scrap piece of paper, and follow those threads out, unraveling it all out, asking yourself about the things you'd like to be doing that'd give you that sense of satisfaction. Whatever sparks your interest from those threads and scratches that itch, write it down in a checklist.
Start small. Prioritize your list by the least amount of time needed, and start checking items off it, get the ball rolling with tasks that will take 5-10 minutes. Motivation is something you build through friction. Find that friction in the journaling/brainstorming and by knocking out tiny tasks.
And most importantly, recognize that motivation is a wave. Being at 100% is not sustainable or desirable. Enjoy the lows, and wait for that new wave coming soon over the horizon. Good luck and take care of yourself.
Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?
#80Exercise. Try daily rigorous cardio workout for 30 minutes a day. AFAIK the brain releases endorphins or something when you exercise, so you actually get a high out of exercising (in addition to getting fitter). Do it in the morning so that you'll feel good till noon atleast. Once you're in a good mood positive things will start happening. Cheers :)
> AFAIK the brain releases endorphins or something when you exercise People tell me this all the time, but when I exercise I just feel tired afterwards? Maybe it only happens to people who are fit who have a history of exercising regularly?
No post body was provided.