Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it • Hacker News Board

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#221

Post by MadWombat » Tue, Jan 21, 2020, 4:04 PM UTC

matwood wrote: post #162

itchynosedev wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I damaged my shin bones because I was running too much too soon and currently taking 2 months break. Side note, I used to run 20k every week, then stopped. Be careful of the problem on the opposite side of the spectrum: your body might not be able to keep up with your motivation.

To quote an amazing motivator, Jocko Willink, "Good". Now you have more time to do cycling or strength train or some other exercise instead of running.

So you can break other parts of your body next? :)

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#222

Post by durmonski » Tue, Jan 21, 2020, 4:07 PM UTC

Well, that's a really awesome website :)

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#223

Post by flyGuyOnTheSly » Tue, Jan 21, 2020, 4:09 PM UTC

I shot out of bed for the 5th morning in a row today to make it to Mysore style yoga class at 6am.

I was tired and hungry.

I had to pick up my better half from the airport last night at 2am because her flight was delayed.

I was nervous that I wouldn't remember the standing sequence for the 5th time in a row.

I lost my chant card already that I was just given yesterday...

I had every excuse in the book not to go, but I went anyways.

Turns out I wasn't that tired or hungry, I remembered the chant and the standing sequences almost perfectly, and I made it a few more poses into the seated series.

I can't wait to go back tomorrow.

No matter the circumstances.

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#224

Post by cr0sh » Tue, Jan 21, 2020, 4:14 PM UTC

I'm pretty sure I've used these and similar tricks over the years, and still do.

For the most part, I've found that the first two mentioned were the ones that mostly would get me going. More often than not, I find myself hours later lost in the task, having complete way more than I intended to.

The third one - starting with something small - also comes in handy, usually when I am cleaning or organizing something. I'll first look at something and say "yeah, I'll put this back where it belongs right now" and before I know it, one thing becomes another and everything is cleaned up.

But I've always been a procrastinator - especially on personal projects. It's one of my personal failings. Though if the project has a deadline (like I recall with homework in high school decades ago), I find that the pressure to finish quickly ends up gaining me a successful outcome.

I think these tips are useful, and may help others who don't know about them, or haven't developed them on their own.

Great posting!

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#225

Post by nonameriot » Tue, Jan 21, 2020, 4:19 PM UTC

JonathanFly wrote: post #3

>Start sloppy >Another trick to start sloppy - you might have high expectations of your finished work. >You want to write a great book, not just a good one. Or create a stellar artwork, or start a great business. >All those expectations can put more pressure on you than you can bear, leading you to avoid it by procrastinating. >Instead, you can escape those expectations by starting deliberately badly. I use this one…

Does this mean that, for instance, if you're writing a novel, you start without a structured outline?

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#226

Post by kodt » Tue, Jan 21, 2020, 4:20 PM UTC

I'll read this later when I feel like it.

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#227

Post by tekkk » Tue, Jan 21, 2020, 4:21 PM UTC

My small bit of advice is to think everything what you do as feedback loops. Eg if you start browsing youtube videos, you'll get by each video more and more into it and at some point cant stop watching. Same for work or workouts or whatever. Once the initial cognitive burden of starting the work has happened, it's should be your utmost priority to just keep at it. Minimize the distractions and get back to the 'looping' as soon as possible. In time the act of doing becomes so easy, that you dont need to invest that much in starting up. Just to stay focused. And your flow-state becomes so strong that you dont even become distracted as the work is so interesting to you

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#228

Post by momirlan » Tue, Jan 21, 2020, 4:27 PM UTC

modi15 wrote: post #128

I have tried all these things, but they dont work for me. How about when you dont feel like working, simply don't work. Do something you feel like and then work when you feel like it again.

wish that worked for me. one thing that kept me going without effort was "Duolinguo". this clever language learning app has a points system and system of leagues where you move up if you are among the first 10 in a cohort. for competitive persons like me it works very well. i am working my language skills first thing in the morning and last at night, and anywhere in between. the idea is being in a community of like minded people stimulates you.

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#229

Post by dfsegoat » Tue, Jan 21, 2020, 4:29 PM UTC

lazyjones wrote: post #208

e19293001 wrote: post #29

I'd like to share this post[0]: The last two weeks I made it a goal to run 5km every morning. A few times, particularly today, I felt lazy and run down, but I got out of bed anyway and told myself that I'll at least walk. The next thing I know I'm running and feeling amazing and on to set one of my better times. The point: When you tell yourself "just one more game" or "just one more post", or "just one more video" a…

Fitness routines and work are not the same thing. The former is IMHO pretty much a pointless waste of time (nothing bad will happen if you skip one day) and work usually just needs to be done eventually or there are serious consequences. The former thus needs self deception, while the latter just requires realization/visualization of its necessity and of the dire consequences.

Your argument is a bit contradictory: I can skip one day of work just like I can skip 1 workout ("nothing bad will happen").

However, I am pretty sure there are dire/severe consequences to not maintaining your physical health over time [1], just like there are if you do not perform at work.

1 - https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/about-physical-activity...

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#230

Post by JshWright » Tue, Jan 21, 2020, 4:31 PM UTC

alexfoo wrote: post #132

itchynosedev wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I damaged my shin bones because I was running too much too soon and currently taking 2 months break. Side note, I used to run 20k every week, then stopped. Be careful of the problem on the opposite side of the spectrum: your body might not be able to keep up with your motivation.

Couch to 5k (a.k.a. C25K) is a popular way to build up slowly and steadily. Once you're up to running 5k three times a week (which is roughly where the plan leaves you) you can limit both volume and max distance increases to 10% per week. I used to run 5-6 times a week with a usual volume of 50k/week so adding in another 1-2 gentle 5k recovery jogs to do a minimum of 5k every day wouldn't be difficult at all. But tha…

In my (totally unprofessional) opinion, C25K progresses too quickly for most people. It think the "None to Run" variant is better (and emphasizes that repeating weeks is normal, and even expected)