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Productivity

blog.samaltman.com

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Re: Productivity

#221

Post by JoshMnem »

aviv wrote: post #95
theli0nheart wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Fasting is tremendously helpful to productivity. Nothing will hinder your performance like a huge meal in the morning (especially one high in carbohydrates) This seems to be really getting popular. What's the science behind it? I'm curious if this is mainly anecdotal or if you did some research before jumping in. My 2 cents: as an endurance athlete and student of nutrition, skipping breakfast seems like a bad idea.…

This will one day be as obvious as cigarettes cause cancer is. Prolonged fasting (consuming only water for 10 to 40 days) is a highly effective treatment for many diseases, including Crohn's, most other IBS related, diabetes, MS, and many more. At some point in the future we will consider pharma companies, government agencies and other entities hiding this fact to be criminal. Edit: my personal hope is that water fas…

I do 2-5 day water fasts, and it has very clear health benefits. There urgently needs to be more research into it, especially for autoimmune diseases (like the ones you mentioned), but I don't think it will cure those diseases by itself.

I've also done a lot of calorie restriction and ADF. It probably isn't for body builders, but my BMI is now normal and muscle tone is good.

Re: Productivity

#222

Post by dirtyaura »

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Re: Productivity

#223

Post by naveen99 »

stavros wrote: post #6

I see these kinds of articles come along from time to time, and it always makes me wonder: Why this pressing need to maximize productivity? Why not just do things you enjoy, at a pace that you enjoy? Is it for more money/prestige? What's the use if you've been stressing and pressuring yourself for it all your life? I feel like the odd person out because I work on something while I enjoy it, stop working on it when I…

i think you and sam are more alike than you think. If you think hard enough about what to work on, you won't have to pressure yourself once you decide to work on it.

Also, he says you should take a break or switch context when you get tired.

And you should definitely be happy doing the thing first. If you're not happy, maybe you don't really want to be doing it. Delegate, or get rid of that task quick and dirty.

Re: Productivity

#224

Post by naveen99 »

StavrosK wrote: post #52
ravitation wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, what you're saying is that you find it hurts your productivity to read productivity articles, so you try not to put yourself into the position where you have to read them? On a more serious note, I feel like "maximizing" "productivity" on things you are passionate about is largely wasted effort (unless the thing you are passionate about is "maximizing" "productivity")...

> So, what you're saying is that you find it hurts your productivity to read productivity articles, so you try not to put yourself into the position where you have to read them? No, it hurts my happiness to read productivity articles, so I skip them.

go read it. you will be happier.

i could tell you didn't read it, because if you did you'd realized you are more similar than you think.

Re: Productivity

#225

Post by mgkimsal »

jjallen wrote: post #194
mgkimsal wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 9% of the students showed a significant change of 15 points or more in IQ scores I had the opposite experience. I've had various IQ tests at age 5, then 9, then 16, then again in my mid-late 30s. 7 tests in all. They have various scores and scales, but in every case, I was within spitting distance of the same spot on the various scales of each test. In some cases, I didn't know I was going to be tested - no prep. I…

Wow, what would cause you to be IQ tested without knowing that in advance?

if you're a kid and the school tests you.

I dare say my parents probably knew, but didn't tell me anything. I don't remember the test at 5, but remember the test at 9.

Re: Productivity

#226

Post by naveen99 »

joeblubaugh wrote: post #57
bgentry wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure if you read the post, but the author addresses a couple of your points and seems to agree with you: I’ve learned that I can’t be very productive working on things I don’t care about or don’t like. So I just try not to put myself in a position where I have to do them (by delegating, avoiding, or something else). Stuff that you don’t like is a painful drag on morale and momentum. And: Also, don’t fall into the…

So what’s the person he delegates the work he doesn’t like supposed to do when it’s work they don’t like? Get fired for being unproductive? This is something you can only do when you have enough minions or money to avoid that stuff.

he said he prefers to delegate to people who might like the task.

Re: Productivity

#227

Post by RobertRoberts »

jjallen wrote: post #193
badpun wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if you have an IQ of say 90 and want to be really good at theoretical physics? I don't see caring a lot and working continously as enough to overcome IQ here.

Doubtful you would care about theoretical physics in the first place if your IQ was 90.

touché

Edit: I think people have wildly differing interests, and that IQ and something like theoretical physics go hand in hand.

Issac Asimov wrote an essay years ago about intelligence, where he pointed out that when the doorbell rang, he jumped up and answered the closet. (his IQ was pretty high, and was member of MENSA). Yet, he still marvelled at how smart his mechanic was at fixing his car.

To Asimov, his mechanic was a genius, but his IQ wasn't likely very high, and would therefore correlate neatly with the notion that the mechanic likely could care less about physics. While the reverse was true for Asimov.

Re: Productivity

#228

Post by auston »

> Like most people, I sometimes go through periods of a week or two where I just have no motivation to do anything (I suspect it may have something to do with nutrition).

As a fellow vegetarian, I tend to increase fruit intake & do early morning workouts or yoga when I feel like this. Give that a try @sama

Re: Productivity

#229

Post by eloff »

fogzen wrote: post #216

I hope Sam realizes that living this lifestyle is not possible for anyone in a traditional 9-5. Most people I know don’t have the luxury of thinking about what to work on, they have to get up, go to work, come home, and do it again in order to even have a place to sleep. Every restaurant Sam eats at is staffed with people working 80 hours a week just to stay above water.

This applies to your 9-5 as well. Working on the right problems is critical to anything you do, even in your personal relationships.

Re: Productivity

#230

Post by Jemmeh »

eafkuor wrote: post #202
whalesalad wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's definitely anecdotal as-in based on my own personal experience. I fast for a few reasons: 1. Breakfast is not necessary, so skipping this meal saves me time in the morning. I already gotta worry about getting ready, feeding the dog+antibiotics, taking him out to pee, etc... one less thing to worry about. 2. Fasting for extended periods while in a ketogenic state accelerate fat loss. (the primary reason I fast) 3…

What do you mean breakfast is not "necessary"? No single meal is necessary, obviously, but why skip it? > skipping this meal saves me time in the morning. I already gotta worry about getting ready, feeding the dog+antibiotics, taking him out to pee, etc... one less thing to worry about. I really can't understand how you can put "getting ready" and feeding your dog above your own nutrition. Maybe you don't enjoy food…

Basically there's a lot of health benefits to intermittent fasting.

This video covers a lot of it quite well & links to sources. Longevity & Why I Eat Once Per Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKfR6bAXr-c

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