Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

atlasobscura.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

171–180 of 334 posts

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#171

Post by justonepost »

Maakuth wrote: post #154
prashnts wrote: post #117

Slightly off topic but this practice of talking-out-loud to get yourself doing stuff is also beneficial to people with executive dysfunction. If your executive function is impaired you generally don't have the "internal monologue" or the voice in your head. This makes seemingly simpler things like taking a shower, driving, or eating, very difficult! I'd often "forget" to eat, simply because I could not get myself to…

This technique is also useful for software development, and is referred to as rubber duck debugging ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging ). Verbalizing your problem lends you another point of view to your thinking and often allows you to discover the problem yourself.

I take notes when I deal with a hard bug or write a email I never send.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#172

Post by lemonberry »

jakub_g wrote: post #32

I noticed the problem on myself on several occasions and kind of invented the same solution. For example, sometimes I would take a medicament mechanically while doing something else and just a few minutes later, forget if I took it or not. Solution: say loud to myself "I'm taking a pill". Another: sometimes I'd lend some amount money to a colleague, and a few weeks later I'd have a hard time figuring whether they gav…

I picked up this nasty habit of leaving the house and feeling compelled to check to make sure the oven and stove top are off.

After years of doing this and feeling silly each time I started checking the oven before I left the house and told myself outloud, "Yes, the oven and stovetop is off". I was surprised how effective this was.

Interesting to read this article today and other's solutions to the same problem.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#173

Post by Scaevolus »

LeonM wrote: post #168
cperciva wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For example, sometimes I would take a medicament mechanically while doing something else and just a few minutes later, forget if I took it or not. Solution: say loud to myself "I'm taking a pill". My solution for this problem: I have a cron job which sends me an email every morning. If I see that email, I 1. Take a pill out of the bottle and put it on my laptop keyboard 2. Delete the email 3. Eat the pill. This seque…

Unless you lose state between step 2 and 3.

Then you're left with a pill on your keyboard and no email, so presumably you're supposed to take it.

If you discover a pill on your keyboard and an email, you should delete the email and take the pill.

I think this ensures at-most-once pharmaceutical delivery, but I haven't investigated formal proofs of Bicameral Generals with memory loss.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#174

Post by firethief »

prashnts wrote: post #117

Slightly off topic but this practice of talking-out-loud to get yourself doing stuff is also beneficial to people with executive dysfunction. If your executive function is impaired you generally don't have the "internal monologue" or the voice in your head. This makes seemingly simpler things like taking a shower, driving, or eating, very difficult! I'd often "forget" to eat, simply because I could not get myself to…

> Though for some reason I use plural pronouns for myself -- we, us etc.

It's just a special case of the inclusive "we". I think here "I" would evoke more of a sense of plurality: it suggests an addressee distinct from the speaker.

I always use the inclusive "we" when talking to myself about a program or writing comments, even when I'm the sole developer.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#177

Post by kpwags »

jakub_g wrote: post #32

I noticed the problem on myself on several occasions and kind of invented the same solution. For example, sometimes I would take a medicament mechanically while doing something else and just a few minutes later, forget if I took it or not. Solution: say loud to myself "I'm taking a pill". Another: sometimes I'd lend some amount money to a colleague, and a few weeks later I'd have a hard time figuring whether they gav…

I do something similar when I'm cooking my eggs in the morning. I tell myself that I turned off the stove as I turn it off to help remind me that I turned the stove off. I don't like wondering if I turned it off or not on my way to work...not a good feeling.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#178

Post by ethank »

In aviation there are similar methods of doing checklists:

Say - Do: pilot not flying says the task, pilot flying verifies verbally after doing it.

Challenge - Response: challenge the check list, verbally respond (do the action)

Flow-Confirm: Do all required actions then verbally confirm.

In any case, the verbal and physical confirmation is needed to move on in the checklist.

When flying solo I do "Say-Do"

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#179

Post by sogen »

tedajax wrote: post #125
Thrillington wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely not true in my experience. A cell phone reminder for a one-off is easily missed during my morning routine. A physical motion and/or out-loud speech associated with the event cements it much more effectively.

To add to your argument because I agree with you quite a bit: A post-it stuck on the side of one's monitor seems vastly superior to any sort of app based reminder. It helps that creating the post-it and sticking it somewhere is itself a physical action that is remembered much more than a few taps of a thumb.

Yes, destroy the note immediately after or when doing the task.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#180

Post by kpil »

tedajax wrote: post #125
Thrillington wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely not true in my experience. A cell phone reminder for a one-off is easily missed during my morning routine. A physical motion and/or out-loud speech associated with the event cements it much more effectively.

To add to your argument because I agree with you quite a bit: A post-it stuck on the side of one's monitor seems vastly superior to any sort of app based reminder. It helps that creating the post-it and sticking it somewhere is itself a physical action that is remembered much more than a few taps of a thumb.

If only someone could invent monitors that sticky notes actually stucks...
Post reply on HN