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Ask HN: How does one overcome the need for instant gratification?

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Re: Ask HN: How does one overcome the need for instant gratification?

#91

Post by rockostrich »

derwiki wrote: post #87
beat wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Along these lines, I switched my book-reading back to paper. It really helps.

From kindle on your phone or physical kindle? I have all the regular problems if I kindle on my phone, but the physical device is single-purpose enough that it's as good as a book to me.

For me, it's the difference between an LED screen and an E-Ink screen. I get fatigued when reading on backlit screen. E-Ink is pretty much paper. There's no strain when staring at it for long periods of time.

Re: Ask HN: How does one overcome the need for instant gratification?

#93

Post by logfromblammo »

sidcool wrote: post #17
danso wrote: post #4

Why (e.g. for whom) are you solving these programming problems in the first place?

For my employer. As in I work with a tech corporation.

I don't expect gratification from my work as an employee: I expect money.

Many years of submerging my own will has resulted in the realization that the company does not get any gratification from me, either. A quick and dirty solution that produces the expected results is completely acceptable to them, and making an extraordinary effort to produce a deliberate and solid solution was likely a waste of effort.

If you want to write code that won't make you cringe after a six month hiatus, start a side project at home in your leisure time, or launch your own company. Don't think of the rapid and sloppy fix as instant gratification, but as cost-effective development effort. In general, companies don't want the well-considered, "correct" solution, but the one that represents the lowest costs or the greatest profits. And they don't often consider technical debt in those calculations.

If they cared at all about code quality, they would have a person whose job is to monitor and improve it, with the authority to institute procedures for the other developers. If you don't have a boss (or pseudo-boss) nagging you about code reviews or test coverage or metrics, your company doesn't care. Just fix the problem in front of you with as little effort as possible. Take the instant dopamine hit, if you still get one from solving your company's stupid problems with a scant twitch of your brain.

The real challenge in an office environment is to build personal relationships and trust networks, not the actual work you are assigned. In a way, all of your assigned tasks are a distraction from that.

If this seems wrong in your gut, this is a direct result of the current management culture.

Re: Ask HN: How does one overcome the need for instant gratification?

#95

Post by gregorymichael »

thinbeige wrote: post #84
strawcomb wrote: post #16

Some things I'd recommend, off the top of my head: - Do not grab phone/computer etc. and mindlessly browse first thing in the morning. (Or before bed. Or at any time really.) But doing it first thing really starts your day on the wrong foot. - When seeking to relax, do not mindlessly browse the internet/social-media/tv. Read an enjoyable book. This is an order of magnitude more fulfilling and beneficial to you. And g…

I so much agree wih your post. All your advice is right and should help but there is one thing I am wondering: Why are you on Hacker News? Reading and in particular commenting which is an instant gratification activity (quick post, many likes paired with non-stop checking of the thread). Is this not against your advice or is it the end of the work day in your time zone?

May be that he doesn't follow his own best practices every day. Got to be careful that we don't let that undercut the usefulness of the advice.

Re: Ask HN: How does one overcome the need for instant gratification?

#96

Post by nul_byte »

thinbeige wrote: post #84
strawcomb wrote: post #16

Some things I'd recommend, off the top of my head: - Do not grab phone/computer etc. and mindlessly browse first thing in the morning. (Or before bed. Or at any time really.) But doing it first thing really starts your day on the wrong foot. - When seeking to relax, do not mindlessly browse the internet/social-media/tv. Read an enjoyable book. This is an order of magnitude more fulfilling and beneficial to you. And g…

I so much agree wih your post. All your advice is right and should help but there is one thing I am wondering: Why are you on Hacker News? Reading and in particular commenting which is an instant gratification activity (quick post, many likes paired with non-stop checking of the thread). Is this not against your advice or is it the end of the work day in your time zone?

He reached enlightenment and so has returned to samsara to guide the rest of us.

Re: Ask HN: How does one overcome the need for instant gratification?

#97

Post by rm_-rf_slash »

kentt wrote: post #70
basdevries wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really good advice. I tried blocking some sites but whenever my 'bad side' comes up again, I always find a way to get around the block and visit the site anyway. Any recommendations on blocking a site indefinitely?

I have a weird alternative strategy. First a backstory, when I quit smoking, I tried what you did, making my vice less accessible/desirable using the sort of strategies you'd find in top 10 ways to quit smoking article. After failing at that for the umpteenth time, I did the opposite. I bought my favourite cigarettes, bought some very nice cigars, fresh pipe tobacco and put it all on my desk where I have to study all…

Good advice. I have a similar anecdote.

When I was 18, I worked at a produce clerk at a middling grocery store. Day after day of stocking fresh fruits and vegetables while watching the same customers (and even my co-workers!) come in and eat the same horrid prepared slop really motivated me to lose weight.

I lost 50 pounds in 2 months.

And also, speaking from experience, please, never attempt to lose 50 pounds in 2 months; my lung popped. Fortunately, I survived.

Re: Ask HN: How does one overcome the need for instant gratification?

#98

Post by Powerofmene »

In order to stop the time drains in my life, endless browsing of the internet, venturing down rabbit holes when I would read something, etc. I had to initially set a schedule for internet activities. I had to do that for about a month in order for me to break the habit of distracting activities when I needed to do other things.

Willpower works for some, not for others, but the bottom line, willpower will only get you so far and if you keep testing it, it will let you down at some point. Get up from the computer and take a short walk, do some form of light exercise or maybe just meditatefor a few moments so that you can refocus. Sometimes just stepping outside for a couple of minutes to enjoy the refresh air and sunshine will let you go back to your project refocused and ready to get after it.

Find what works for you and when you find yourself drifting into things that waste your time, remove yourself for the reset that works for you.

Re: Ask HN: How does one overcome the need for instant gratification?

#99

Post by codingdave »

thinbeige wrote: post #84
strawcomb wrote: post #16

Some things I'd recommend, off the top of my head: - Do not grab phone/computer etc. and mindlessly browse first thing in the morning. (Or before bed. Or at any time really.) But doing it first thing really starts your day on the wrong foot. - When seeking to relax, do not mindlessly browse the internet/social-media/tv. Read an enjoyable book. This is an order of magnitude more fulfilling and beneficial to you. And g…

I so much agree wih your post. All your advice is right and should help but there is one thing I am wondering: Why are you on Hacker News? Reading and in particular commenting which is an instant gratification activity (quick post, many likes paired with non-stop checking of the thread). Is this not against your advice or is it the end of the work day in your time zone?

I don't feel HN is about instant gratification at all. I come here to see more about what is going on in the tech community. For me, it is about awareness of what is going on, reflection and analysis of where I currently fit and where else I may want to go.

If you are constantly non-stop checking for responses and your scores, that doesn't match what I do. I tend to comment, then come back a couple days later, and see what discussion ensued.

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