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Ask HN: Who else is working on nothing?

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Re: Ask HN: Who else is working on nothing?

#11

Post by UltimateEdge »

I have fewer personal software projects going on than I used to (in fact, almost none), and these days I think I spend a lot of the time on unimportant busywork, under the excuse that "organising myself will free me up in the future, when something interesting comes around".

However I also recently quit social media (by this I don't count IRC, HN and the Fediverse as these are mostly text-based - okay to browse in my books), quit soft drinks, quit YouTube (almost, new videos come in through my subscriptions about once a day) and started reading (albeit very slowly) after a multi-year lapse. So it's not all bad.

Re: Ask HN: Who else is working on nothing?

#13

Post by bmitc »

> I am working on something, but that something is myself.

I'd say you're working on the right things. Our fellow humans would like to hide behind the idea that any of this matters, but at the end of the day, it doesn't. What does matter to you is yourself and the relationships of people close to you.

Re: Ask HN: Who else is working on nothing?

#14

Post by bitzun »

zemvpferreira wrote: post #3

I'm working on things. Just, things I subconsciously devalue because they're not new/hard/valuable enough. So when people ask me what I work on I often answer 'nothing much' back even though those same people would find what I'm actually doing to be as hard as most jobs - which is not that much but enough. Enough is what I should answer, and maybe you too. Everything will work itself out, these years will turn out to…

I love your sentiment. I've been fighting off the intrusive "when people ask me" thoughts to eliminate the absurd hypothetical shame/embarrassment. I think it's improved my life.

Re: Ask HN: Who else is working on nothing?

#17

Post by flatline »

I am working on relocating to an area that will afford me more personal and professional opportunities in the future. I have been writing software professionally for over 20 years and there is not much left there to captivate me, so I’ve refocused my professional efforts towards softer skills. I spend a lot of my day talking to people, organizing schedules, planning, networking, writing proposals. Much like you, working on myself.

Re: Ask HN: Who else is working on nothing?

#18

Post by bitzun »

reactordev wrote: post #6

If you find yourself thinking “this is all for nothing”, you’d be correct. You can’t take any of this crap with you when you pass. You do what makes you happy. What makes you happy? Searching for external validation of a pat on the back for a job well done is not what makes one happy. Take a moment, pause, just be, focus on your happiness and what that means to you . Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop trying to…

One addition IMO: If anyone in your life tries to push you to seek their validation and do what they think you should (which is mostly just validating themselves), ignore and avoid them, or at least try to knock them down a peg.

Re: Ask HN: Who else is working on nothing?

#19

Post by dharmab »

I'm currently working on nothing outside of work due to an illness.

I hate it. I was halfway through dissembling my project car's engine for some upgrades and was hoping to get started on a bathroom demo for a remodel, and that's all been delayed.

I'm also not really working on any tech right now, because for the most part, I've gotten my personal technology working how I like it. I have a spare PC I've been meaning to turn into a home theater device but I'm more motivated to work on the car.

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