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Why I Procrastinate (2019)

invisibleup.com

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Re: Why I Procrastinate (2019)

#141

Post by cmrx64 »

kovek wrote: post #139
kleborp wrote: post #6

The post linked within this post was really illuminating for me: https://gekk.info/articles/adhd.html The section on why notecards and todo lists have never worked for him (and for me) was particularly salient: "The problem with "systems" is that they are authorities. They have to be. If you decide "I'll prioritize things with a stack of notecards" then you are telling yourself the following: "The notecards replace m…

What if close people hold you accountable? You tell them: “hey, I’ll clean my room by Friday next week or I owe you (or your favourite organization) 20$.”

https://www.beeminder.com/ automates this

Re: Why I Procrastinate (2019)

#142

Post by bananamerica »

InvisibleUp wrote: post #84
spawarotti wrote: post #81

TL;DR: "Most people don't have problems with procrastination" I’ve read the article. I would caution against labeling yourself as having ADHD, IMO it is very dangerous. Every high-achieving person I know has major problem with procrastination. I was nodding while reading the article until the ADHD part. Does it mean we all have ADHD? Consider an alternative: our brains have to operate nonstop at near max capacity jus…

Hi, author here. Since I wrote this article, I got professionally diagnosed and treated. Turns out, yeah, I'm doing a lot better now. On most days I don't have these symptoms, I can in fact study for classes and work, while also doing the things I love. I'm getting back into doodling, I've schedules all the appointments I need to, I have a great friend group, etc. etc. It's not perfect, I relapse sometimes, but I'm d…

> Also, I really can't afford to live in the woods for a few months

Super ADHD dude chiming in. If I went to the woods without meds, I'd just be hyper in the woods.

Very few people can truly manage ADHD without medication. Some say they do but are completely delusional. Psychotherapy is also essential since it helps to cope with the emotional and existential toll of the disorder. But, at least in my experience, it has negligible effects on the actual symptoms.

Re: Why I Procrastinate (2019)

#144

Post by bananamerica »

spawarotti wrote: post #81

TL;DR: "Most people don't have problems with procrastination" I’ve read the article. I would caution against labeling yourself as having ADHD, IMO it is very dangerous. Every high-achieving person I know has major problem with procrastination. I was nodding while reading the article until the ADHD part. Does it mean we all have ADHD? Consider an alternative: our brains have to operate nonstop at near max capacity jus…

> Perhaps try to unplug for some months in the woods and see if the symptoms persist? If they do, I stand corrected

If I break my leg, will you tell me to "think it out"?

Re: Why I Procrastinate (2019)

#145

Post by tidenly »

taurath wrote: post #126
Thorentis wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I said in my main comment ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22127841#22133387 ): Give up social media (all of it: Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, HN), porn, and TV (including Netflix) for a couple of months. Take up some form of exercise (lifting, running, even pilates or something), and re-evaluate your attention span. I'm not being flippant. If your therapist hasn't recommended this as at least a starting point…

> Whenever a friend tells me they're depressed, or anxious, or have attention difficulties or whatever, the first thing I ask is "what did you spend most of your time doing last week?". If the answer is "Oh, I found this cool new show and binged it", or "Oh not much, I wasn't motivated to do anything so mostly just scrolling the feed haha" - I immediately sit them down and suggest that maybe those things are the caus…

On the other hand though there also are people who are in a rut and get stuck in a negative cycle that affects them - I was there for the middle 4 years of my 20s and slowly have started to pull myself out with help from family and friends. Both options need to be explored of course but I think some people worry doctors go straight for the medicine cabinet. "When your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" kind of thing.

Re: Why I Procrastinate (2019)

#146

Post by Mirioron »

kovek wrote: post #139
kleborp wrote: post #6

The post linked within this post was really illuminating for me: https://gekk.info/articles/adhd.html The section on why notecards and todo lists have never worked for him (and for me) was particularly salient: "The problem with "systems" is that they are authorities. They have to be. If you decide "I'll prioritize things with a stack of notecards" then you are telling yourself the following: "The notecards replace m…

What if close people hold you accountable? You tell them: “hey, I’ll clean my room by Friday next week or I owe you (or your favourite organization) 20$.”

Eventually you will end up avoiding those close people by essentially any means necessary. You'll think of some excuse to avoid doing it. Sometimes sitting out in the cold street feels better than having to go home and do the task that has to be done. That $20 is eventually going to be lost as is the closeness to that person.

Re: Why I Procrastinate (2019)

#147

Post by kovek »

cmrx64 wrote: post #141
kovek wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if close people hold you accountable? You tell them: “hey, I’ll clean my room by Friday next week or I owe you (or your favourite organization) 20$.”

https://www.beeminder.com/ automates this

Nice link! This is gameable. I think it’s also possible to lie to close ones and find justifications, but it’s more difficult.

Re: Why I Procrastinate (2019)

#148

Post by dragonsngoblins »

spawarotti wrote: post #94
InvisibleUp wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi, author here. Since I wrote this article, I got professionally diagnosed and treated. Turns out, yeah, I'm doing a lot better now. On most days I don't have these symptoms, I can in fact study for classes and work, while also doing the things I love. I'm getting back into doodling, I've schedules all the appointments I need to, I have a great friend group, etc. etc. It's not perfect, I relapse sometimes, but I'm d…

Thanks for the reply! Let me elaborate on my point. Consider a thought experiment: If you would spend 3 months in the woods, do you think it is plausible your symptoms would disappear? If you don’t think this as being plausible (likely even) then we have to agree to disagree and that’s it. Not enough data. If you do agree that might cure you then what does it mean about your ADHD diagnosis? It means that you have ADH…

My symptoms definitely wouldn't disappear but they wouldn't matter anymore. My inability to do anything before being right up against the deadline wasn't an issue for me until after highschool, and my inability to make myself focus on stuff like chores wasn't as much of a problem when I was living at home and didn't have as many chores to do.

If I lived alone in the woods and had supplies regularly brought to me I'd probably be mostly fine. I might sometimes run out of clean towels because I put off doing the washing or something, but in the woods I can afford to skip showering for a while.

When I got diagnosed I argued with my doctor at first, how could I have ADHD - I got good grades in school, I don't fidget noticeably, etc. My doctor then pointed out that even if I wasn't fidgeting in class I had told him that I often just read novels during class instead of giving my full attention to the teacher. He also asked if I did anything that is fidgeting but that people tend not to notice such as biting my nails (yes), or drawing patterns on my teeth (yes!).

He then pointed out that intelligence can compensate for issues with attention, but only so far.

Another thing to be aware of is that I had started to lose my capacity to enjoy hobbies of mine, because despite wanting to do them I'd end up just sitting around, or constantly bouncing between 8 different things.

Back when this was becoming an issue I didn't have social media at all, not even something like a HN account so you can't blame that

Re: Why I Procrastinate (2019)

#149

Post by speedplane »

I don't have a problem with procrastination, and I don't feel guilty about it. I think it's optimal.

Generally, try to find out the last day something is due, figure out if that's a hard or soft deadline (if soft, get an extension), estimate how long it'll take to do the work, and then start the work exactly within that time limit. Doing it any sooner means that you're likely putting off even earlier deadlines.

Procrastinating is not a problem, submitting work late or low quality is.

Re: Why I Procrastinate (2019)

#150

Post by techsin101 »

What helped me:

- travelling and staying in a hotel for a month. Just job and hotel. All bookmarks, Todo lists, and everything else like that gone. Helped me forget it all and have a clear mind.

- brushing teeth twice. I saw study that linked gum disease to depression. Aka unhealthy mind. I feel keeping mouth clean keeps inflammation down. I feel really positive once I had dental cleaning and decided I want to continue feeling that.

- sleep apnea treatment with CPAP machine. It works I get tired 5 hours late now. before I'd be tired by 2pm, now I'm tired by 11 pm. I hate the mask I'm gonna get p10 that goes into nostrils I've nasal mask which sits under the noise and I feel it's affecting my teeth by putting gradual pressure.

- accomplishing anything. I did an online course. Something different than my usual grind. And in world of evolving frameworks where you can never be good. It was refereshing to take the test and pass it many tests. Grow confidence.

- don't mess your internal rythm. Just how blue light can alter your cycle so can eating very much. Infact there was a study by Harvard that to counter just lag and start waking up at certain time, fast almost a day then wake up at the time you wanna wake up daily and have big breakfast. It will instantly changes internal clock. So eating past 5-6pm is very bad. With Exception of milk.

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