Ask HN: What activities help you recharge?

#1

Post by crazypython » Sat, Jun 12, 2021, 11:28 PM UTC

Hi. When you need to get a project done, it's not possible to code 14 hours a day, as much we wish it were possible.

What activities do you do to help yourself recharge to gain as much energy for today and the next day? So you can be ready, clear-headed, and focused the next day.

Napping and going outside for a walk are common responses, but what else?

What movies and TV shows do you find helps you recharge?

Is there a particular time of music that is helpful?

Do you have any particular rituals (shower?) that help you recharge?

Re: Ask HN: What activities help you recharge?

#2

Post by matt_the_bass » Sun, Jun 13, 2021, 12:19 AM UTC

Scuba diving. When you’re underwater, you have to leave all thoughts about the surface at the surface.

Logging off is important any way you do it.

Re: Ask HN: What activities help you recharge?

#3

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Jun 13, 2021, 1:04 AM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: What activities help you recharge?

#4

Post by tjr » Sun, Jun 13, 2021, 1:30 AM UTC

Beyond a leisurely walk, getting a serious workout in helps a lot.

Also playing music. I especially enjoy playing electric bass, which maybe isn't usually that interesting by itself, but to sit for a while and play along with albums can be very relaxing.

Re: Ask HN: What activities help you recharge?

#5

Post by softwaredoug » Sun, Jun 13, 2021, 3:28 AM UTC

Rituals help a lot.

Beginning of the day I exercise and get ready like I’m going to work. End of the day I shut things down (either dev tools or the whole laptop). This latter creates friction so I don’t absentmindedly a start working later in the evening.

Re: Ask HN: What activities help you recharge?

#6

Post by ffhhj » Sun, Jun 13, 2021, 3:37 AM UTC

> When you need to get a project done, it's not possible to code 14 hours a day, as much we wish it were possible.

I used to take naps of 30 minutes every 3 hours in order to keep focused the whole night. One of your favorite sugary drinks company required me to create an augmented reality app to detect their can years ago, nowadays there are frameworks to do it.

Re: Ask HN: What activities help you recharge?

#7

Post by pestatije » Sun, Jun 13, 2021, 10:44 AM UTC

Not sure if you include it as napping, but: sleeping. Like, 8 or more hours.

Re: Ask HN: What activities help you recharge?

#8

Post by muzani » Sun, Jun 13, 2021, 11:01 AM UTC

Carrying my baby around. He's heavy, but nothing beats an hour long morning walk with him.

Incremental games are nice, except the 99% of them that do microtransactions. I bought all the clarusvictoria mobile games. Kairosoft was great too but pricey. Most other games stress me out, especially the ones that have a wiki. NSFW games are an interesting genre too. They're usually full of padding to unlock some scene and can be won without a wiki. I don't really look for the scene, but those scenes are the goal for the game, and it becomes a puzzle to figure out what order to press buttons.

I find horror movies and anime strangely relaxing too. Maybe because if I'm stressed out, the adrenaline needs an outlet and horror works for that.

I like history too. Greene's books are nice, just a collection of short stories. Biographies and memoirs are great too.

Re: Ask HN: What activities help you recharge?

#9

Post by ecesena » Sun, Jun 13, 2021, 6:23 PM UTC

I picked up the "run 1mi/day" challenge almost 4y ago now and it's my go-to sport/recharge/problem solve activity.

Sport more in general I find very recharging. Right now I'm spending a month in Sicily to learn kite surfing.

Re: Ask HN: What activities help you recharge?

#10

Post by afarrell » Sun, Jun 13, 2021, 9:26 PM UTC

Wandering around in nature.

Goal-directed work involves lots of decisions of path-duration-outcome. To recharge, do aimless physical activity around plants.