Ask HN: How do you stay sharp? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you stay sharp?

#51

Post by tumbling_stone » Mon, Jul 13, 2015, 5:35 PM UTC

hellofunk wrote: post #38

I find that having a voracious appetite to explore as many associated fields and topics to your area of work or interest is not only interesting and enjoyable but gives your mind some pause on the close-at-hand stuff while you gain the very important pieces that inform a big picture view of what you are doing. Plus, you can often get new outside-the-box ideas this way.

Exactly. I had been wondering if my way of sticking to work related things while exploring stuff in my own time was the best way of learning, but due to the kind of free time I get it is the most optimal strategy. For example though I would love to complete SICP I just don't have the kind of time it needs, so instead I try to read as much as possible about OOPS explore languages that are exemplify OO design but aren't that mainstream like Pharo. This way I don't have to worry much if the knowledge acquired would be forgotten and wasted, whatever I learn I practice at least a part of it daily.

Re: Ask HN: How do you stay sharp?

#52

Post by bigtunacan » Mon, Jul 13, 2015, 5:42 PM UTC

taigeair wrote: post #12

hellbanner wrote: post #5

What are your side projects? IMO learning is only useful is it lets you build something.

Currently, I'm working on this idea... Not sure if it's ready for attention yet, but I guess it doesn't hurt. www.littlequest.me/secret My main concern is I don't feel as sharp as I did in high school, university, and first years after grad. And I want to continue to have that mental sharpness, not just be good at my job and do it day in and day out.

If you are doing things right you won't feel as sharp when you are further in your career. In high school and college many feel like they understand everything and that things are so easy, but that is really because they haven't started to see the bigger picture.

The more you learn the more you will feel that you don't understand everything and never will. Focus on learning whatever is most relevant to you and your career and don't get bogged down by impostor syndrome.

Re: Ask HN: How do you stay sharp?

#53

Post by Balgair » Mon, Jul 13, 2015, 5:43 PM UTC

agnokapathetic wrote: post #37

- Write prose. I find my verbal fluency (and my inner monologue) become far more dull when I haven't written anything in a while - Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum, even a single glass of wine impacts memory formation and recall. - Get lots of sleep

On the booze: Alcohol's effects on memory are indeed severe, but mostly at high doses and with chronic consumption. Also, this is very individual and varys from person to person, as most things in bio do[0]. Additionally, OP mentioned that they want to stay sharp, and alcohol does have a positive effect on creativity in low doses, something we all know in coding[1]. In the end, OP should trust themself and drink as deemed appropriate (check with a Doc of course).

Sleep though, yeah, try to get more of that. Exercise too. Oh, also eat right. Hmm,... maybe should lawyer up and quit FB too, or so I am told... :P

[0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_alcohol_on_memory

[1]https://xkcd.com/323/

Re: Ask HN: How do you stay sharp?

#54

Post by PatZawa » Mon, Jul 13, 2015, 5:55 PM UTC

evo_9 wrote: post #50

Workout, eat smart and get more than 7 hours of sleep a night most nights. It's absolutely amazing how much these three things affect everything in your life.

I think the workout one is great here. Whenever I feel like my mind is out of energy, I go and exercise for a while and usually my mind feels more energetic afterwards.

Re: Ask HN: How do you stay sharp?

#55

Post by dummy7953 » Mon, Jul 13, 2015, 5:58 PM UTC

I think it's possible that people who tend to over-intellectualize, possibly are missing some tenderness in their lives.

Re: Ask HN: How do you stay sharp?

#56

Post by zinxq » Mon, Jul 13, 2015, 5:59 PM UTC

Battlefield 4. Laugh if you will, but playing this game (or games like it) against other humans is an incredible mental exercise. There is little downtime and twitch does win the day. Interestingly, I usually only play when I'm too tired to code productively anymore - and playing brings me wide awake.

It's amazing to me when watching others play how they miss cues I can now see. Or how my mind has subconsciously optimized where to aim in a heated firefight depending on the gun I'm using (sometimes sternum, sometimes head - I more notice I'm doing it as opposed to actually doing it).

Plenty of good advice here, but high-speed mind activities should be included in any advice of "staying sharp" (i.e. Battlefield, RTS computer games, iphone brain games I suppose)

(relevant: Starcraft performance factored by age: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal....)

Re: Ask HN: How do you stay sharp?

#57

Post by awoland » Mon, Jul 13, 2015, 5:59 PM UTC

No rebate ...

Re: Ask HN: How do you stay sharp?

#58

Post by talles » Mon, Jul 13, 2015, 6:02 PM UTC

Open-source projects, specially the ones out of my comfort zone.

Re: Ask HN: How do you stay sharp?

#59

Post by Fiahil » Mon, Jul 13, 2015, 6:06 PM UTC

heardtheword wrote: post #28

Try teaching other people. It's amazing what you find you don't know by explaining things to others. If there aren't people who want to learn what you know then post on a blog or forum and get feedback from those who are interested.

I must second this. I worked as a TA for 2.5 years while pursuing my Master's degree, and I learned a whole lot more by teaching than by studying. The most amazing thing is to be able to tell students that you have absolutely no idea of the answer to their questions, but that you're going to find out together.

Re: Ask HN: How do you stay sharp?

#60

Post by phodo » Mon, Jul 13, 2015, 6:07 PM UTC

From the above description, it seems like you might be trapped at a local maxima. Try expanding your horizons in other areas. You will gain perspective including ways to get "unstuck". You will find other maximas, and realize that you have a long way to go. For example, try reading about medicine or art - that can give you a perspective on "how" to think and "why" and connect the dots, rather than the "what" of the latest framework. To give you a more concrete and prescriptive example you can apply, let's say you are learning Sketch and teaching yourself UI/UX. How about exploring color - the science and art behind it? Pick up a color palette program, and look at famous works of art and good UIs - what palettes do they use and why? Can you come up with your own palettes? Why did you choose what you chose? Can you use a palette from some apps like Slack or Monument Valley and build your own UI? Basically try to go in an adjacent or even orthogonal direction. You are on the right path... you seem intellectually curious and a lifelong learner. Just shake things up a bit and that can pay dividends. HTH.