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The PoWeR technique: a strategic approach to self-discipline

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Re: The PoWeR technique: a strategic approach to self-discipline

#51

It is question of motivation. Motivation uses logical forebrain, best way is to take thinking out of equation. - marshmallow test is invalid, if kids do not trust adult. It would not work on kids from rough neighbourhood, who would get second marshmallow stollen. Single marshmallow is logical choice in this case. Apply that on savings and inflation... - if phone alarm does not wake you up, use lamp with timer. 10000…

The case of smartphones is unique. There is a war waged by corporations with hundreds of thousands of employees to take the most of your attention out from you (for sweet ad money), with attention engineers working on new designs and innovations all the time. I don't think that is a battle %95 of people can win. Just look around to people. I avoid fighting the battle by making heavy use of screen time features to ban…

> take the most of your attention... with attention engineers working

Typical victimhood conspiracy theory.

> I avoid fighting the battle by making heavy use of screen time features to ban

So you avoid that by spending more time on your phone. And someone has parental control over your phone...?!

Re: The PoWeR technique: a strategic approach to self-discipline

#53
i always find it interesting how hostile people generally are to these sort of ideas, or towards anything that contains the implication that these problems are something that can be worked on and aren't just something that people are helpless victims of. it really is like clockwork, i knew what these comments were going to be like before i even read any of them.

i guess "it's not my fault" is an easier pill to swallow than "this weakness i have means i have to work harder than most people to compensate for it".

Re: The PoWeR technique: a strategic approach to self-discipline

#54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The case of smartphones is unique. There is a war waged by corporations with hundreds of thousands of employees to take the most of your attention out from you (for sweet ad money), with attention engineers working on new designs and innovations all the time. I don't think that is a battle %95 of people can win. Just look around to people. I avoid fighting the battle by making heavy use of screen time features to ban…

> take the most of your attention... with attention engineers working Typical victimhood conspiracy theory. > I avoid fighting the battle by making heavy use of screen time features to ban So you avoid that by spending more time on your phone. And someone has parental control over your phone...?!

That’s not a conspiracy theory it’s a job

Re: The PoWeR technique: a strategic approach to self-discipline

#55

As someone with severe ADHD this is one of the only strategies that seem to work for me!

Really glad to hear that. My recommendation is to put a lot of emphasis on the "environment" step toward the end of the article. Otherwise, you might find yourself gaining a merely temporary hold of self-control only to get distracted and fall back into a previous pattern of thinking/behavior.

Re: The PoWeR technique: a strategic approach to self-discipline

#56

As someone with severe ADHD this is one of the only strategies that seem to work for me!

Really glad to hear that. My recommendation is to put a lot of emphasis on the "environment" step toward the end of the article. Otherwise, you might find yourself gaining a merely temporary hold of self-control only to get distracted and fall back into a previous pattern of thinking/behavior.

my technique has always been "if you need to do something but your ADHD won't let you, refuse to do anything else in the meantime". it takes less effort than suddenly deciding to get up and do the thing, but if done properly, culminates in you eventually deciding to get up and do the thing anyway. never thought of the holding breath thing though, that would probably result in less literally-fifteen-minute pauses wouldn't it

Re: The PoWeR technique: a strategic approach to self-discipline

#57
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On second thought can we leave it up, as then anyone who sees the thread has a good example of an inflammatory comment and how to rewrite it to be more in keeping with the spirit of the site? If not then I will go back and change it.

Just a note that I found this thread valuable :), offering to keep that comment was a good idea.

Glad it helped. I think it's generally better to admit and take responsibility for your mistakes rather than trying to pretend they never happened otherwise we struggle to grow.

Re: The PoWeR technique: a strategic approach to self-discipline

#58
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only downside is wasted time, and possibly wasted money if people get hooked into the productivity rabbit hole and end up spending ridiculous amounts of money on apps, books, gadgets and whatever else trying to be more productive. I say this as someone who was probably like you once. I took a Big 5 personality test in my mid twenties that said that I had a low conscientiousness score which meant that I was pretty…

> I say this as someone who was probably like you once. … I also tried all the meditation techniques whilst relentlessly trying to optimise my productivity, work and life, resulting in an inevitable burn out. … Following that, I have ended up just using a few text files for organisation and I am probably more organised than I have ever been. I applaud your journey. (Genuinely!) But isn't it possible that even though…

I agree with you that everyone is different and there's more than one path up the mountain so if you find this useful then keep using it. I would say that it's a well explored mountain and that the main routes tend to have emerged for a reason but thousands of mountaineers carve their own routes up mountains every year and there is something to be said for that as it brings its own knowledge.

Re: The PoWeR technique: a strategic approach to self-discipline

#60

It is question of motivation. Motivation uses logical forebrain, best way is to take thinking out of equation. - marshmallow test is invalid, if kids do not trust adult. It would not work on kids from rough neighbourhood, who would get second marshmallow stollen. Single marshmallow is logical choice in this case. Apply that on savings and inflation... - if phone alarm does not wake you up, use lamp with timer. 10000…

I tried the lamp thing.

Attached it to a smart switch and programmed it to turn on at 7:30am every weekday.

I now get my best sleep between 7:30 and whatever time it is when I jump out of bed screaming because I've overslept.

The only thing that reliably wakes me up is the "Your New Morning Alarm" song by Marc Ribellet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enYdAxVcNZA

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