Getting up earlier and going for a run. I have so much more energy throughout the day now, and I'm actually tired when it's time to go to bed. It's also a lot less hot outside than mid-day or evenings.
Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
161–170 of 478 posts
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#162Getting up earlier and going for a run. I have so much more energy throughout the day now, and I'm actually tired when it's time to go to bed. It's also a lot less hot outside than mid-day or evenings.
Yes! I do my ride early before it gets above 80F. Much nicer. And I'm smarter all day.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#163A morning routine involving no phone, computer, etc. for the first hour of the day has been great for me.
I usually wake up, make coffee, read for about 30 min, and then gratitude journal and plan my day. (I use Panda Planner purely for convenience, I'm sure a blank sheet of paper works as well.)
This allows me to set my own schedule and prioritize my day, rather than reacting to the demands placed on me by others. I've seen improvement in both 1) my general productivity and 2) my progress on the long-term tasks I'd usually be more likely to put off.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#164Deliberately trying to cultivate friendships and openness, both by being a bit more open and honest with people, and by asking them very gentle questions to let them know that I'm somebody they can be open with, if they want. I also set up a 'close friends' filter on Facebook for people I can be a bit more honest with - not 'all drama, all the time' type of stuff, but more about starting interesting discussions about…
If you don't mind me asking, what are some examples of the gentle questions that indicates you are open?
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#165Lots of folks mention: taking their lunch, or anyway not going out to eat.
I did the opposite: I go out to lunch every day. Gets me out of the office, out of the rut, meeting other people (never eat alone!) and working out relationships (business or otherwise).
Then back to work, energized and with a fresh outlook.
But of course I'm at a different place in my career, where the cost is something I gladly afford for the benefits. I don't need $50 a week for anything nearly as important or beneficial.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#166Working out. Just body weight workouts. No gym. It improved my golf game. Another is: not buying sodas with my meal. Self-explanatory. Another: Spending brief interludes of time where a compile or unit test is happening to write down what I'm going to do next. It keeps me on task. Another: Incrementally cleaning/organizing my condo. Another: Walking around hardware, furniture, craft stores, Walmart, Target, etc, to s…
Working out! With a 7 minute app. I started in Nov. + People notice the difference. + It's a good way to cope with bad times. + You feel accomplished afterwards. + It's a perfect start of the day. + If you're dating and she is watching, it's a turn on. + You can go on for longer. + It's good for your confidence. + Other people who are working on themselves can be interesting people to meet. + It's good for your healt…
I don't get how you could be working out in such a short time duration?
My warmup is like 7 minutes long. Its usually a mix of 3 light sets of whatever I'm working out + short jog / sprints inbetween to prevent injuries
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#167In November, I wrote a personal update later and found some people that I hadn't talked to in over 5 years. I sent 10 people that letter and said if more than 5 reach out, I am going to do this monthly. 8 of them reached back out! I felt honored that people still remembered me and wanted to keep up.
I've been doing as vulnerable a letter as I can every month. And people I know from all sorts of relationships are reading it. Friends, family, mentors, you name it. Covering everything from work to romance to health. Not only has it helped me get more vulnerable, but it keeps me up to date with others, and when I see people in person they already have a conversation to start with. Overall it's been awesome and a highly recommend it for keeping relationships alive and strong.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#168Switched to a ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting 5 months ago. My sleep quality, mental clarity, ability to focus for long periods of time and mood swings have all improved dramatically. I am also shredding fat at a pretty good pace and apparently also gaining muscle (I lift every single day if I can).
I've been trying the opposite lately -- a high carb diet. I've mostly been modeling my eating style after Dr. McDougall's "Starch Solution" plan. He basically believes that humans are designed to eat starchy foods (potatoes, whole grains, etc), and that fats are bad (healthy fats -- like from avocados -- aren't necessarily unhealthy, but aren't great if you are trying to lose weight). So one of the core tenets of this plan is to keep fat and protein very low, and roughly an 80/10/10 percentage of carbs/protein/fat, which means cooking without oils, butter, etc.
The staple of my diet is potatoes. I eat potatoes nearly every day, and I eat a lot of them. My favorite way is to slice them up into wedges, add some spices, bake them, and then dip them in mustard. I also eat lots of rice, beans, oatmeal, bread, occasionally something like cheerios for a snack, etc.
The beauty of this plan is that if you stick to resistant starches, and keep fat low, you don't need to count calories. You will likely feel full before you will overeat calories. I'm down about 15 pounds since starting in February (6 ft tall, down from 195 to 180ish), and I've got the most ab definition I've ever had from JUST a diet (I'm barely doing any cardio right now). But more importantly, I feel really good.
Anyway, this is not to undermine a ketogenic diet. I think both are effective ways to feel good and look good... either eating low enough carbs that your body burns fat (Keto), or eating low enough fat that your body isn't storing any. I just enjoy experimenting with different ways of eating, and this one happens to be working great for me right now.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#169I have been cycling to work, during my 4.6 km commute, every Friday, for the last three months now. (1) I save about USD 10.00 every Friday: a substantial amount in the part of the world I live in (2) I get off work two hours early on Fridays, so I use this time to explore the city (3) This is a form of exercise for me.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#170I've been recording a video a day (1 second), it makes me be more conscious about finding something meaningful every day, and watching the result at the end of the year is really rewarding.