Ask HN: How do you all deal with lack of motivation? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you all deal with lack of motivation?

#11

Post by akuji1993 » Mon, Aug 06, 2018, 2:42 PM UTC

koliber wrote: post #6

blacksoil wrote: post #4

I had struggled with such problem as well. These are how I got out: 1. Coming up with internal dreams. This is something internal that when I thought about, I'm convinced I'd like to accomplish it. Ideally this is something whose cause you truly believe in, instead of just short-term impulses. To distinguish the two is pretty easy. Impulses have short lives while dreams last long. Even when you try to forget it, at t…

Great list. I would put #4 at #1. Your body is where "you" happen. If it is unhealthy, it becomes harder to do things in general.

Since switching to a more healthy lifestyle, doubling or trippling the amount of exercise (walking, bicycling) I do, I feel 100x better than before and can do much better work every day. I also am able to stand up at 8am instead of 10am, just because my body is just so much fitter and ready to take on the day.

I can't emphasize this enough, take care of your body and the mind will follow.

Re: Ask HN: How do you all deal with lack of motivation?

#12

Post by floatingatoll » Mon, Aug 06, 2018, 3:11 PM UTC

Zinc supplements. It turned out I was seratonin and dopamine deficient due to multiple (6) genetic defects in my liver’s zinc uptake genes, so whenever I was under duress, I’d run out of neurotransmitters and be unable to produce more.

Re: Ask HN: How do you all deal with lack of motivation?

#13

Post by tboyd47 » Mon, Aug 06, 2018, 3:32 PM UTC

Even though you think you're ready, you may still need some down time. Find some way to disconnect completely from your daily responsibilities for a weekend or even a whole week to sleep, eat, and reflect.

If down time isn't working for you, you may need to start permanently removing or changing unpleasant things in your life. This can take a lot of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking and therapy can help here.

Re: Ask HN: How do you all deal with lack of motivation?

#14

Post by Riverheart » Mon, Aug 06, 2018, 4:00 PM UTC

floatingatoll wrote: post #12

Zinc supplements. It turned out I was seratonin and dopamine deficient due to multiple (6) genetic defects in my liver’s zinc uptake genes, so whenever I was under duress, I’d run out of neurotransmitters and be unable to produce more.

If I may ask, how many mg do you take?

Re: Ask HN: How do you all deal with lack of motivation?

#15

Post by gorpomon » Mon, Aug 06, 2018, 4:52 PM UTC

Get into therapy my friend, it will help in all aspects of life. It's not just for people who have mental illness or severe trauma. It's for all of us who have life experience that is unprocessed. I think it would be valuable for you if you went in to explore the roots of what interests you and what your underlying motivations are.

Re: Ask HN: How do you all deal with lack of motivation?

#16

Post by cannabisceo » Mon, Aug 06, 2018, 4:54 PM UTC

I take care of sleep, exercise, and diet. Then weekly sessions in therapy. I honestly don't believe you can be well adjusted without sleeping 8 hours, exercising 3-5 times per week, and trying your best to eat right.

If you think you're going to have a perspective shift without taking care of the basics...I doubt it. Take care of these fundamentals first. Then circle back in a month if you're still having issues.

Re: Ask HN: How do you all deal with lack of motivation?

#17

Post by jotjotzzz » Mon, Aug 06, 2018, 5:30 PM UTC

I recommend (and already mentioned) journaling. In the journal, I visualize attaining the goal or write about ways to keep going.

Watch, listen or read stuff that motivates and uplifts you. And keep on doing it every day.

Try to motivate yourself every day and find what works. This quote sums up what motivation is, it is not something that is only done once:

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily." - Zig Ziglar

Re: Ask HN: How do you all deal with lack of motivation?

#18

Post by sigi45 » Mon, Aug 06, 2018, 5:31 PM UTC

Something I started a month ago and works better than thougt:

Planning the week ahead.

Often I get home and don't wanna do anything suddenly. When I plan it, I come home with something specific.

Also I proactively think about people/friends I haven't seen for a while and ask them out to do stuff.

Strange thing proactively planning a week ahead, checking out events, movies, etc.

Re: Ask HN: How do you all deal with lack of motivation?

#19

Post by madeuptempacct » Mon, Aug 06, 2018, 5:31 PM UTC

I have the freedom to kill myself anytime I want, so if I am not doing that, I might as well do something "useful."

Also, it's not like being bored isn't boring, so might as well do something, even if it's equally boring.

PS: All the mundane stuff everyone else mentioned is a bare minimum for sure - do exercise, do plan things to do, do eat correctly and get enough sleep, etc.

Re: Ask HN: How do you all deal with lack of motivation?

#20

Post by defnotadog » Mon, Aug 06, 2018, 5:39 PM UTC

I find that the harder I try to force myself to code, the worse it gets. I like to try some other creative task that can get the juices going and then come back to coding when I have a really great idea. Obviously in a working environment this doesn't always work.

What _else_ do you find really motivating? Could be writing or painting or making youtube videos. It doesn't really matter as long as you're starting to engage creative muscles that you haven't flexed in a while.