Join a choir. Go dance tango or folk dance. Become a radio amateur. Take a walk in nature during the weekend. Take up a hobby that doesn't involve computers (that much).
Or have children.
Ask HN: What to do after the workday?
31–40 of 112 posts
Re: Ask HN: What to do after the workday?
#32I do the same thing. I have a feeling a lot of engineers are in this same trap. The problem is that prolonged periods of just going home and watching tv after work is going to lead to an increase in social anxiety for many people. Which then leads to even more isolation. Ideally I envision myself going to the gym, going to a meetup, playing board games, etc, but I just never seem to bring myself around to doing it.
Put stuff on your calendar. Don’t overload it, but dot your calendar out for a month or two with an event once a week. Buy. Ticket to something so you feel some pressure, and invite some friends. Find ways to motivate yourself and see that as a challenge to overcome.
I've massively struggled to find these events to go to.
Re: Ask HN: What to do after the workday?
#33Sit in silence. I guess it's kinda meditation, but I just like to sit in silence. Sometimes its 5 minutes, sometimes it's 2 hours. I always feel happier and more relaxed afterwards. My guess is what's happening behind the scenes is that my brainis processing all the input it's been receiving over the day. Just sit on the floor in a room with not much going on. Temperature should be comfortable. Just do literally nothing.
Re: Ask HN: What to do after the workday?
#34Meditation is very fulfilling. Insight timer has a bunch of free meditations. If you don’t have a partner that’s certainly worth finding. Eating healthy plants and hiking in the woods/park are great for you and feel good. Any of your buddies from work like meditating, eating together, talking, playing card games, stuff like that? Businesses can be fun to start for the right person, especially around open source or other things that help people. Hope that helps friend, best wishes.
Re: Ask HN: What to do after the workday?
#35Read — anything by Tolstoy, or George Eliot
Re: Ask HN: What to do after the workday?
#36Go for a walk with a (real) camera and try to find something to photograph. 1. good exercise. 2. you'll start noticing more and looking at things differently. 3. you'll be holding a camera instead of a phone - so you'll stay more engaged with the exercise.
"What to do after the workday?" - is the key of the question > Go for a walk It's almost winter in US. Pardon me, but taking a walk in the dark, alone, with your camera doesn't really sound as a good advice. I bet with your new iPhone you can take gorgeous photos at night but that can be fun only once on the blue moon, not every day?..
> "It's almost winter in US. Pardon me, but taking a walk in the dark, alone, with your camera doesn't really sound as a good advice."
Pardon me, but the US is an absolutely giant place - in Texas this is the time of year where I can go out in the evening and not be miserable. Also some of the best photo's I've ever taken where in Telluride in the middle of February right after sunset.
Re: Ask HN: What to do after the workday?
#37Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, Dancing, Gaming, Tindering, Driving.
Re: Ask HN: What to do after the workday?
#38Find clubs that play music you like. Go dance. Yes, I know you don't know how to dance and are embarrassed by it. Go shake your ass anyway, it's dark and nobody will give a shit. Do some Fortnite dances if that's all you know.
Re: Ask HN: What to do after the workday?
#39Exercise. Socialize. Try to combine the two.
Riding a bike hits both of these, and the balance between the two is highly customizable on each ride.
Re: Ask HN: What to do after the workday?
#40Sit in silence. I guess it's kinda meditation, but I just like to sit in silence. Sometimes its 5 minutes, sometimes it's 2 hours. I always feel happier and more relaxed afterwards. My guess is what's happening behind the scenes is that my brainis processing all the input it's been receiving over the day. Just sit on the floor in a room with not much going on. Temperature should be comfortable. Just do literally noth…
Just sharing my personal experience here: if I do this alone I become incredibly anxious, in a quite bad way (though I know that I have higher anxiety level than average). My significant other does it quite often, just sitting in the bed or on the couch doing absolutely nothing, staring at a wall or the ceiling, and she really seems to enjoy it. It's weird how just doing nothing can have so much impact.