Ask HN: Bad habits

#1

Post by mshafrir » Fri, Aug 14, 2009, 1:06 PM UTC

What are your bad habits? Did you overcome them? If so, how? If not, why?

Re: Ask HN: Bad habits

#2

Post by jacquesm » Fri, Aug 14, 2009, 1:09 PM UTC

HN. No. Because there is just too much good stuff here and too little time in a day.

The 'noprocrast' is great, and I use it occasionally but then you see that google has a new beta out or that friendfeed gets bought and it gets disabled again...

Re: Ask HN: Bad habits

#3

Post by yan » Fri, Aug 14, 2009, 1:24 PM UTC

Checking time-wasting web sites much more than I should.

Before that, I had issues with keeping with the habit of exercising. I think I solved that a month ago by starting to use the Seinfeld method[1] to keep track of it. I will probably try to move everything I have trouble staying with to the calendar.

[1] http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-se...

Re: Ask HN: Bad habits

#4

Post by ScottWhigham » Fri, Aug 14, 2009, 1:53 PM UTC

Responding negatively to generic posts that ask questions yet reveal nothing about the poster's reasons for the question nor contain any elaboration on the poster's part as to their own in the post.

Re: Ask HN: Bad habits

#5

Post by a2tech » Fri, Aug 14, 2009, 1:55 PM UTC

1) Social Media sites (reddit, hacker news, slashdot, facebook) 2) Nail chewing 3) Excercising

And no-I've never been able to overcome bad habits. My short attention span when it comes to learning has helped me though-since I'm quick on the uptake when I go from subject to subject it lets me suck up a lot of info. And nail chewing..I wish I could quit but unfortunately my fingers are always there and I end up chewing them when I'm concentrating.

Re: Ask HN: Bad habits

#6

Post by harry » Fri, Aug 14, 2009, 1:57 PM UTC

Pack a day smoker.

Quit cold turkey 3 years ago - through willpower. Not impossible & not easy.

Re: Ask HN: Bad habits

#7

Post by raju » Fri, Aug 14, 2009, 2:05 PM UTC

harry wrote: post #6

Pack a day smoker. Quit cold turkey 3 years ago - through willpower. Not impossible & not easy.

A smoker myself - Not that much anymore, but still a smoker. Need to find that willpower.

Also, exercise procrastinator. My problem is I don't put on weight, so weight loss (or maintenance) is not an incentive. But I know I need to work out, and have been doing some lately, even if it is a stiff 1 hour walks in the evenings

Re: Ask HN: Bad habits

#8

Post by eswat » Fri, Aug 14, 2009, 2:08 PM UTC

Keeping Colloquy/IRC up while I'm working. Just can't find the strength to close it like I could with email or Twitter.

Disabling highlight notifications helps a lot though...

Re: Ask HN: Bad habits

#9

Post by bbuffone » Fri, Aug 14, 2009, 2:09 PM UTC

Procrastination - I haven’t been able to overcome it yet, things that mitigate it is - keep track of tasks, make them small easily achievable. Also make a new list every morning.

Re: Ask HN: Bad habits

#10

Post by erikwiffin » Fri, Aug 14, 2009, 2:11 PM UTC

a2tech wrote: post #5

1) Social Media sites (reddit, hacker news, slashdot, facebook) 2) Nail chewing 3) Excercising And no-I've never been able to overcome bad habits. My short attention span when it comes to learning has helped me though-since I'm quick on the uptake when I go from subject to subject it lets me suck up a lot of info. And nail chewing..I wish I could quit but unfortunately my fingers are always there and I end up chewing…

I've dealt with nail chewing my entire life. In the past year, I've (mostly) overcome it.

My solution: chewing gum. Keeps my mouth busy so I don't bite my nails. I go through a lot of gum, but I've broken the habit of biting my nails, so I'm slowly weaning off the gum.