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Productivity

blog.samaltman.com

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Re: Productivity

#261

Post by remir »

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…

It depends how you look at it. Wasting time gets on my nerves so to take Sam's example: what do you prefer: a 20 minute meeting or a 2h meeting where there's a lot of wasted time?

Re: Productivity

#262

Post by [deleted] »

uptownfunk wrote: post #149

fair enough that makes sense. It just felt a little sterile. I get that some people may appreciate these types of posts, and I appreciate the intention of trying to be helpful, but it seems as if the tone were that of a robot. Little attempt at humor and a very cold tone overall. Is that what it takes to be a billionaire in Silicon Valley? Downvote me to hell but the tone and expressions of the article were far more…

[deleted]

Re: Productivity

#263

Post by Jemmeh »

bloodorange wrote: post #250
Jemmeh wrote: post #240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's LOADS of things I want to do. I have a lot of interests. I have a lot of ambitions. The faster I am at meeting my goals the more I get to do, the further I get to go. If I'm more productive in the kitchen I finish making my meals sooner. If I'm more productive at coding I finish making my personal projects sooner and I get more projects out there. I learn more. I can make more money to spend on things I care…

There is no end to this. Even if you had 48 hours per day and boundless energy, you'd feel similarly. I'll freely admit I'm no wise sage but if I know that there's no end to it, then I'd feel inclined to figure out where I want to stop.

I do get where you're coming from, and I think it's just a balance game. I really want to enjoy life and change certain things for the better, but I also have to be patient, some things take effort but also time. Can't lose 10 lbs of fat in a healthy way in the next 10 minutes no matter how much I may work for it or want it.

And no one can do everything in the world. So I also prioritize. But even within those priorities there's still plenty I can do. And plenty I can do to work smarter and push myself to go further.

It's like in the gym, there's a huge difference in overtraining to the point of getting injury vs just pushing yourself a good amount so that you get better results vs just grumbling your way through a slow walk. The results will reflect that.

People can set realistic goals that they have to push themselves a to get without going overboard. Personally I enjoy that because it gets me things I want. A fitter body, a better relationship with my loved ones, a lucrative career where I get to do something creative, challenging, and that can make a difference. The free time to enjoy my hobbies.

Do I need to be a billionaire? No. Do I need to be an Olympian? No. But that doesn't mean I can't be -better- than I am now.

Re: Productivity

#264

Post by reubenswartz »

reubenswartz wrote: post #166
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.…

I started skipping breakfast a while back after having a big dinner the night before and realizing I wasn't hungry. I felt better than if I ate just because it was "time to eat." Over time, I moved the threshold, and I don't eat breakfast, except for a shot of espresso. It feels much better. Earlier, I had worked to cut out carbs at lunch (because they were making me sleepy in the middle of the afternoon). With break…

Update-- of course, yesterday my wife made amazing oatmeal raisin cookies. I have no need to buy junk at the grocery store, but put a plate of homemade cookies in front of me, and "game over, man".

Re: Productivity

#265

Post by grosjona »

>> Also, don’t fall into the trap of productivity porn

>> ...

>> Some sort of sleep tracker to figure out how to sleep best is helpful

>> ...

>> I take a low dose of sleeping pills (like a third of a normal dose) or a very low dose of cannabis

>> ... I use a full spectrum LED light most mornings

>> ... so I get about 15 hours of fasting most days

The whole article is productivity porn.

Re: Productivity

#266

Post by FooHentai »

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…

>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 the same way that I do.

First, these are two separate thoughts, unless you have some confusion between 'proper nutrition' and 'enjoyment of food'.

Second, 'proper nutrition' and 'enjoyment of food' often conflict since what provides the best nutritional value to your body is not often aligned with what tastes the best.

I think the different between you and OP's position is that you see a link between 'nutrition' and the breakfast event. What's your reasoning for believing that breakfast is important with regards to your body's nutrition/health? Do you understand it to be of short-term (i.e. energy levels before lunch) or long-term importance?

Re: Productivity

#267

Post by teej »

bastijn wrote: post #210

I once read a HN comment that I cannot find anymore but said: “my default loop is "First, cycle through all my developers and make sure that I have equipped them to be happy and productive in their jobs. Second, find something to do. If possible, delegate it; if not, do it. Repeat."” My biggest productivity gain was when I realized I should measure my productivity through the productivity of my developers. By the sam…

"As a CTO, my default loop is 'First, cycle through all my employees and make sure that I have equipped them to be happy and productive in their jobs. Second, find something to do. If possible, delegate it; if not, do it. Repeat.'"

- tkiley https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3408449

Re: Productivity

#268

Post by FooHentai »

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…

>Why this pressing need to maximize productivity?

Cynical answer: Because the person paying for your time would like the maximum return from that investment, and the need for human agency requires that we rationalize that pressure as something that originates within ourselves.

Re: Productivity

#269

Post by theoh »

Sam is who he is, but I felt like this sentence dramatically undervalues the importance of empathy (presumably in the service of decisiveness, or Getting Things Done):

"If you find yourself always agreeing with whomever you last spoke with, that’s bad."

It's like what (art critic) Peter Schjeldahl said about (world's most prestigious gallerist) Larry Gagosian: “He's like a shark or a cat or some other perfectly designed biological mechanism.”

Re: Productivity

#270

Post by StavrosK »

FooHentai wrote: post #268
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…

>Why this pressing need to maximize productivity? Cynical answer: Because the person paying for your time would like the maximum return from that investment, and the need for human agency requires that we rationalize that pressure as something that originates within ourselves.

And the person selling their time (me) would like maximum compensation for that investment, so the employer should commensurately strive to always increase my pay.

That logic doesn't quite work that way.

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