But it's so tasty...
What about decaf?
There's probably nothing objectively wrong with it. I'm just a coffee snob.
Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.
31–40 of 58 posts
Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
So, if this is good advice, why do you return to the coffee habit?
I'm in the same pattern. After I have given up coffee for a few months, one coffee is enough to get me addicted again. It's so much more potent. It's worth quitting just to go back to it. I seriously love falling off the wagon.
When your bad, your better!
Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.
#33Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.
#34I was always curious about the timeline between:
- finding one of these talismans of productivity
- actually trying it out
- blogging about it
- staying with it
I have a feeling the first 3 occur pretty rapidly.
Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.
#35I gave up caffeine more than a year ago, because I didn't like the idea of being addicted to a drug. I have a cup of tea once every couple weeks or so, but that's about it.
The only improvement I've noticed is that I don't suffer withdrawal symptoms if I don't have caffeine. If anything, I think my mind feels a bit slower without it. I think I might take it up again.
Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.
#36I gave up coffee a while ago, it was fantastic. I always thought that it never affected my sleep, but the difference in how I sleep then and now is incredible. And yeah, I no longer have the after lunch down. What I really couldn't kick was the habit of actually drinking the stuff. So I drink decaf now. Think it tastes different? I demand a double blind test. It tastes fine.
Similar reactions to me. I sleep better too, no longer fidget and turn over violently in bed. I drink water or weak black tea as my substitute.
I drink coffee all day right up until bed time, 1.5 pots of coffee a day on average. Sleep like a rock and frequently wake in the morning in the exact same position I fell asleep in. My wife occasionally notes how little I move while asleep.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe in the coffee pot this morning, my favorite bean at the moment.
Edit: I should add that I do understand that it effects everyone differently, my wife can't even drink half a can of pop without getting jittery.
Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.
#37ADHD is often resolved paradoxically with stimulants. For me, caffeine is a natural alternative to ADHD medication. A small amount of coffee, twice a day, allows me to focus intensely. Folks with ADHD aside...optimizing caffeine intake seems to be the key to avoiding the nasty side-effects.
Fascinating point. Then does that mean that being more focused without coffee means I am low on the ADHD spectrum?
I don't think anyone can give you a clear answer, given that the effects of coffee depend on complex mix of factors, like caffeine metabolism, metabolism in general, brain chemistry, and so on. However, it is known that stimulants generally shorten the attention span, so a good guess would be that you indeed are in or close to the "normal" zone.
Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.
#38I have no idea whether it makes any difference for my productivity, but I simply like coffee. No way I'll give it up. There's so many habits you are advised to give up these days in the name of health and productivity... I wonder when asceticism will become 'hip' again.
I still like coffee too. I prefer dark roast espressos with almond croissants. Mmmm... Occasionally I have a treat in a coffee shop, but only at the weekend. You might be one of the lucky ones who are not too effected by caffeine mood swings. However, you'll never know, unless you try it.
Well there are days I drink a lot of coffee and days I don't drink coffee at all. I haven't noticed any difference in mood swings.
Sure if I drink coffee all day (and no water), I get caffeine overdose symptoms and feel dehydrated. Drinking water is good in any case. But that doesn't mean completely stopping drinking coffee if you enjoy it...
Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.
#39Relevant links: - http://quantifiedself.com/2009/10/the-false-god-of-coffee/ - http://lesswrong.com/lw/1w1/coffee_when_it_helps_when_it_hur...
Thanks for the link to the ever wonderful "lesswrong" site. So much for me thinking I had stumbled onto something.
Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.
#40Giving up coffee was one of the best things I've ever done for myself. (Perhaps second only to marrying my wife).
- no more trouble sleeping
- migraines significantly reduced in frequency and severity
- caffeine has become a very effective ibuprofen booster
- significantly reduced "up and downs"