Ask HN: Weekend wasted again • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Weekend wasted again

#41

Post by ArkyBeagle » Mon, Oct 24, 2016, 9:00 AM UTC

boyter wrote: post #11

Genuine question here. Why is it that some lack the discipline to just do things that they want to do? Its a common theme that appears in most books (heck Just Fucking Ship is a whole book on this) and I have noticed this over time with different people but never understood it. Is there a psychological reason behind this? Is it something that needs to be overcome with the ways listed here? I guess what I am asking is…

People actually do what they really want to do. If that is different from what they say they want to do, then you have your answer.

Re: Ask HN: Weekend wasted again

#42

Post by pjc50 » Mon, Oct 24, 2016, 9:30 AM UTC

boyter wrote: post #11

Genuine question here. Why is it that some lack the discipline to just do things that they want to do? Its a common theme that appears in most books (heck Just Fucking Ship is a whole book on this) and I have noticed this over time with different people but never understood it. Is there a psychological reason behind this? Is it something that needs to be overcome with the ways listed here? I guess what I am asking is…

Other way round: how do the rare few self-motivate themselves to do things on their own, persistently? How many people fully plan their day, rather than just doing adhoc or conventional things? Not many.

Re: Ask HN: Weekend wasted again

#43

Post by k__ » Mon, Oct 24, 2016, 9:52 AM UTC

I didn't do it for a year anymore.

But I used to plan such things like trips.

Met with a friend (or alone) and we coded the weekend (or week) away.

Re: Ask HN: Weekend wasted again

#44

Post by p333347 » Mon, Oct 24, 2016, 10:30 AM UTC

When this sort of thing happens to me it is usually because either I didn't have a concrete plan on what I was going to do beyond describing it as "useful" (or the project wasn't really interesting), or I had been deprived of relaxation due to being very busy for more than a week and the mind is "reclaiming" its time.

If the reason is latter, I wouldn't worry too much. But in order to make my weekends or off days productive, I try to sneak in a small share of web browsing on working days - it basically works like rest/sleep. As for former, I let the interest or necessity generate naturally and not force myself to do something useful and think its a crime to relax.

Re: Ask HN: Weekend wasted again

#45

Post by Kaibeezy » Mon, Oct 24, 2016, 11:14 AM UTC

I was doing OK until the election news started getting superheated. Weekends, evenings, weekdays, all chopped up now. Hoping I can get things back together after 8 Nov, but worry I'll be susceptible to the the next new major news story. Damn you Nate Silver!

Re: Ask HN: Weekend wasted again

#46

Post by afarrell » Mon, Oct 24, 2016, 11:29 AM UTC

My tools for combating this:

- https://freedom.to/

- Have a specific plan in mind, not a generalized "learn something new"

- On Tuesday, post on facebook asking a friend if they want to do a work-along day on any hobbies. Then hop on appear.in together or hang out in person.

- Keep yourself well-fed and well-rested.

Re: Ask HN: Weekend wasted again

#47

Post by afarrell » Mon, Oct 24, 2016, 11:29 AM UTC

Kaibeezy wrote: post #45

I was doing OK until the election news started getting superheated. Weekends, evenings, weekdays, all chopped up now. Hoping I can get things back together after 8 Nov, but worry I'll be susceptible to the the next new major news story. Damn you Nate Silver!

https://freedom.to/ can block http://fivethirtyeight.com/ on both your phone and your laptop. Unlike /etc/hosts, your less diligent self can't unblock it until the timer is over.

Re: Ask HN: Weekend wasted again

#48

Post by afarrell » Mon, Oct 24, 2016, 11:31 AM UTC

ArkyBeagle wrote: post #41

boyter wrote: post #11

Genuine question here. Why is it that some lack the discipline to just do things that they want to do? Its a common theme that appears in most books (heck Just Fucking Ship is a whole book on this) and I have noticed this over time with different people but never understood it. Is there a psychological reason behind this? Is it something that needs to be overcome with the ways listed here? I guess what I am asking is…

People actually do what they really want to do. If that is different from what they say they want to do, then you have your answer.

But what people want to do can repeately make them miserable. "want" is not that simple of a word.

Re: Ask HN: Weekend wasted again

#49

Post by dmitripopov » Mon, Oct 24, 2016, 1:06 PM UTC

1. Set the daily goal

2. Identify steps required to reach it, write them down. It's better to do it with pen and paper, no to-do apps or anything like it.

3. Take the first step right away, do not postpone it.

4. Log your progress and time on each step. Archievements and failures too.

5. At the end of the day look through your log, asess your achievements on 10 grade scale, set goals for tomorrow.

Re: Ask HN: Weekend wasted again

#50

Post by joeclark77 » Mon, Oct 24, 2016, 1:44 PM UTC

What worked for me is, this fall I canceled my smartphone service and bought a flip phone from Walmart. Saves a ton of money, but more importantly, I hardly even look at the Internet on weekends and evenings now.

Failing that, have you considered getting a cabin in the woods? Or maybe a boat? Get as far as you can from an internet connection, as often as you can.