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Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?

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Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?

#191

Post by rwmj »

projectramo wrote: post #143
elros wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been trying to solve the sleep part of the equation for a few decades. I'm yet to try a sleep tracker. Do you have a personal tracker recommendation?

I used to use the Jawbone UP because it had the best REM sleep tracking. I bought up a ton of old ones when they closed down because they don't last. I use the fitbit now. The sleep tracking has caught up. The link between REM and mood/clarity is very strong in my case.

Is there one which doesn't upload your habits to the cloud?

Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?

#192

Post by honopu »

20-35 min of cardio at gym. I lifted for about a year, had a wrist injury so I started doing the recumbent bike. Hold 130+ heart rate for 20-25min. I wish I had done this when I started going to the gym, this combined with audiobooks took the "chore" out of cardio.

Also treating every bit of time like it is; a precious non-renewable resource, has helped more than it's hurt :).

Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?

#193

Post by everdev »

Tracking my Habits and weight every day. I picked 6 habits (exercise, meditation, teaching, presence, community, cleaning/oragnanizing) I wanted to focus on and used the Loop - Habits Tracker app to check my progress. For weight, I bought a WeightGurus smart scale.

Now, when I'm feeling irritable or tired I can check my app and see if I've been keeping up with the habits that "fill me up". If not, then instead of dumping my irritability on friends and family, I can focus on myself and put my energy into those habits instead.

For weight, getting daily feedback of weight and body composition helped me clearly see how tolerant my body is of carbs and over eating (not much!). It's way easier to pass on the pasta and garlic bread after seeing the results on the scale the next morning.

Common theme is more data on things I care about.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?

#194

Post by ydnaclementine »

oregontechninja wrote: post #124

Actually sitting down to train my memory once a day. At a bare minimum I memorize the order of a pack of cards, but I try and work in other exercises when I have the time. I'm in the process of memorizing my first book. Super helpful if you're an IT guy and need to remember a bunch of different IP addresses, usernames, and passwords. Also people love it when you remember their name. Highly recommend taining your memo…

If someone wants to do this but a little more productive (imo), get anki (or similar flash card app) on your phone and memorize words in a foreign language that interests you

Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?

#195

Post by tom_ »

dormento wrote: post #182
tom_ wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't pay for somebody else to make your tea! A cup of ordinary tea should cost, like, 15p. That includes teabag, electricity, water, milk, and amortized cost of kettle and mug. Even if you buy something unnecessarily expensive, like fancy matcha tea powder, you're looking at less than 50p.

What kind of monster puts milk on their tea? :) You're right though.

Most everyday teas sold in the UK are made for use with milk. They are - or I have always found them so - a bit astringent and bitter without.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?

#196

Post by xexers »

terryjsmith wrote: post #104

Just show up - I started this last year going to the gym - if I didn't feel like going to work out, I just went to the gym and messed around, did whatever I felt like, even for 15 or 20 minutes and then left. The discipline has translated into other projects - a camper reno, a game engine, etc. Just showing up is more than half the battle, even if you don't accomplish much on one given day.

Scott Adams does this too. He goes to the gym everyday and laces up his shoes. Once that's done, it's considered a "successful day at the gym". Of course 99% of the time he stays for a workout... but yeah, the odd time he just goes home after lacing up his shoes.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?

#197

Post by powvans »

terryjsmith wrote: post #104

Just show up - I started this last year going to the gym - if I didn't feel like going to work out, I just went to the gym and messed around, did whatever I felt like, even for 15 or 20 minutes and then left. The discipline has translated into other projects - a camper reno, a game engine, etc. Just showing up is more than half the battle, even if you don't accomplish much on one given day.

I love this. It sounds bad, but lowering the bar for expectations and just thinking that showing up and doing something is a win is fantastic for building habits and discipline. I have so many friends who haven't done much with their lives for fear of screwing up, but it turns out that inaction is screwing up.

Eighty percent of life is showing up.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?

#198

Post by gandreani »

lightonphiri wrote: post #169

I 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.

Jealous! I used to commute about 8km by bike on my first job. It was out of necessity but after 3 months I saw some serious benefits. I went out for a run and I couldn't believe the stamina I had built up without noticing

Now my commute is 32km _one way_ and I dream of being able to commute like that again :(

Obviously I recommend you keep doing it :)

Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?

#199

Post by maherbeg »

terryjsmith wrote: post #104

Just show up - I started this last year going to the gym - if I didn't feel like going to work out, I just went to the gym and messed around, did whatever I felt like, even for 15 or 20 minutes and then left. The discipline has translated into other projects - a camper reno, a game engine, etc. Just showing up is more than half the battle, even if you don't accomplish much on one given day.

100% this. Just going by as frequently and consistently as you can is so important. Even if it’s just to walk 10 minutes on a treadmill, you’ll get more comfortable with doing it every day.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?

#200

Post by oregontechninja »

madeuptempacct wrote: post #133
oregontechninja wrote: post #124

Actually sitting down to train my memory once a day. At a bare minimum I memorize the order of a pack of cards, but I try and work in other exercises when I have the time. I'm in the process of memorizing my first book. Super helpful if you're an IT guy and need to remember a bunch of different IP addresses, usernames, and passwords. Also people love it when you remember their name. Highly recommend taining your memo…

"At a bare minimum I memorize the order of a pack of cards, but I try and work in other exercises when I have the time." How long does it take you? Do you use any mnemonic techniques? Would your time not be better spent memorizing foreign vocab? Do you see an improvement? Have you checked for cross-task improvements? What got you doing this? What differences do you see?

I use video game locations as memory palaces. I use Pokemon to represent numbers. It takes me 10 minutes to memorize a deck. It took me two 20 minute training sessions to learn how.

I will eventually use it to learn a new language.

I read half of "Moonwalking with Einstein", worked out some exercises, and started practicing. By the next day, I could remember the order of the deck of cards!

I can't believe I went my whole school career without knowing such a valuable technique.

Can you expand on what you mean by cross-improvement?

The differences are huge. One of the first things I did was make a memory papace for my current month and set up my schedule.

Also remembering names is laughably trivial for me now.

It feels like gaining a super power in the form of memory and litteraly everyone thinks you're a genius (even though they could just as easily learn the skill)

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