The Surprising Benefits of Relentlessly Auditing Your Life • Hacker News Board

Re: The Surprising Benefits of Relentlessly Auditing Your Life

#21

Post by karlmcguire » Sat, May 25, 2019, 11:48 PM UTC

marcinzm wrote: post #19

>We’re in a much more precarious place financially now, after a few non-spreadsheet-related surprises, but we’re still determined to make whatever decisions we can to improve our lives. This, imho, shows the issue with basing life decisions so relentlessly on personal data no matter how well collected. Either the unexpected catastrophic scenario hasn't happened so you don't hedge for it or it has happened and you hed…

You're basically describing the black swan problem [1], but I'm not sure what your argument has to do with the premise of the article, which I understood as "tracking your life in a mechanical manner allows you to make better, more objective decisions."

Are you saying we shouldn't track aspects of our lives because that could lead to essentially "overfitting" decisions based on personal data? I don't think the data or the collection of the data is the problem - it's ignoring black swans.

I'd argue that our decisions are always influenced by our personal, recent past. If it's not explicitly written down in a spreadsheet, it's imprinted on our subconscious and associated with related emotions.

At least spreadsheets/journals allow us insight into details that we're likely to forget in our day-to-day lives. I think personal tracking is a net positive for anyone.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Swan:_The_Impact_of_...

Re: The Surprising Benefits of Relentlessly Auditing Your Life

#22

Post by karlmcguire » Sun, May 26, 2019, 12:11 AM UTC

MuffinFlavored wrote: post #20

mettamage wrote: post #17

When I used to do conscious self improvement, I journaled. I simply answered the prompt: what did I do to achieve my goal today, and what can I do better? This had the same effect as their quantitative approach: you start to see patterns. I’d suggest: the profound enabler of change isn’t the quantitative aspect of it, it is that you’re logging data in the first place. Our brains can’t log that much. Notepads and spre…

so... I'm with this, but... I know the results my logs would be. I want to work out and be in great shape. Run, stretch, weights, yada yada. I can log all day. It won't change the fact that I'm lazy/just don't have the work ethic to actually do it.

I (and others [1]) have found that the act of logging itself helps you build and maintain momentum. For some people not wanting to "break the chain" of visible squares/X's/dots is enough motivation to continue.

[1]: https://www.reddit.com/r/theXeffect/

Re: The Surprising Benefits of Relentlessly Auditing Your Life

#23

Post by on_and_off » Sun, May 26, 2019, 12:25 AM UTC

MuffinFlavored wrote: post #20

mettamage wrote: post #17

When I used to do conscious self improvement, I journaled. I simply answered the prompt: what did I do to achieve my goal today, and what can I do better? This had the same effect as their quantitative approach: you start to see patterns. I’d suggest: the profound enabler of change isn’t the quantitative aspect of it, it is that you’re logging data in the first place. Our brains can’t log that much. Notepads and spre…

so... I'm with this, but... I know the results my logs would be. I want to work out and be in great shape. Run, stretch, weights, yada yada. I can log all day. It won't change the fact that I'm lazy/just don't have the work ethic to actually do it.

I am not sure if that helps you, a tech salary (or similar) might be necessary to pull it off this way :

I am not exactly disciplined, I have thought for years about working out instead of actually doing it.

Until one year ago. I have started working with a trainer. It is insanely expensive BUT it helps a lot in establishing a routine. The exercises themselves are pretty standard, but having somebody to give you a program adapted to your current condition and to correct your movements help tremendously.

I have changed from not working out to working out 4-5 times a week.

Re: The Surprising Benefits of Relentlessly Auditing Your Life

#24

Post by mistermann » Sun, May 26, 2019, 1:01 AM UTC

lifeisstillgood wrote: post #6

I have a secret startup plan - MOOPs Massive Open Online Psychology. You wire your house with iPhones or Alexas recording your daily conversations with your family - it records things like "number of positive responses" vs "number negative responses" when replying to your spouse or children. There are dozens of simple verbal checks one can pull out of even fairly raw speech to text, let alone visual dances. And imagi…

If you ignore the privacy complications, this is actually quite an interesting idea.

Re: The Surprising Benefits of Relentlessly Auditing Your Life

#25

Post by dorchadas » Sun, May 26, 2019, 1:02 AM UTC

on_and_off wrote: post #23

MuffinFlavored wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

so... I'm with this, but... I know the results my logs would be. I want to work out and be in great shape. Run, stretch, weights, yada yada. I can log all day. It won't change the fact that I'm lazy/just don't have the work ethic to actually do it.

I am not sure if that helps you, a tech salary (or similar) might be necessary to pull it off this way : I am not exactly disciplined, I have thought for years about working out instead of actually doing it. Until one year ago. I have started working with a trainer. It is insanely expensive BUT it helps a lot in establishing a routine. The exercises themselves are pretty standard, but having somebody to give you a pr…

That's exactly what did it for me, too. Except it wasn't a trainer, but a Couch to 5k like podcast. I found one that was much much more beginner friendly than C25k and also gave a strength and rest plan. Using the podcast and seeing hte weeks go by has made me much more motivated to get out and run, even on wet 5 degree centigrade days, let alone the 30 degree days.

Just something to hold yourself accountable to, really. I've also found it's why many of my other projects/ideas/desires don't pan out. There's nothing to hold me accountable, so I get bored and move on. It sucks, because it feels like I'm trapped in a rutt, but I don't know of a way to really manage that.

Re: The Surprising Benefits of Relentlessly Auditing Your Life

#26

Post by kop316 » Sun, May 26, 2019, 1:50 AM UTC

MuffinFlavored wrote: post #20

mettamage wrote: post #17

When I used to do conscious self improvement, I journaled. I simply answered the prompt: what did I do to achieve my goal today, and what can I do better? This had the same effect as their quantitative approach: you start to see patterns. I’d suggest: the profound enabler of change isn’t the quantitative aspect of it, it is that you’re logging data in the first place. Our brains can’t log that much. Notepads and spre…

so... I'm with this, but... I know the results my logs would be. I want to work out and be in great shape. Run, stretch, weights, yada yada. I can log all day. It won't change the fact that I'm lazy/just don't have the work ethic to actually do it.

This may help too, I was lazy about it too, and I found that once I had a goal I wanted, it really helped me actually achieve something.

If you want to work out, two suggestions I can give is check out starting strength. That's a very good workout routine. Another if you ha e the money is to hire a personal trainer. Both of those have really helped me.

Re: The Surprising Benefits of Relentlessly Auditing Your Life

#27

Post by hhjjkkll » Sun, May 26, 2019, 1:58 AM UTC

MuffinFlavored wrote: post #20

mettamage wrote: post #17

When I used to do conscious self improvement, I journaled. I simply answered the prompt: what did I do to achieve my goal today, and what can I do better? This had the same effect as their quantitative approach: you start to see patterns. I’d suggest: the profound enabler of change isn’t the quantitative aspect of it, it is that you’re logging data in the first place. Our brains can’t log that much. Notepads and spre…

so... I'm with this, but... I know the results my logs would be. I want to work out and be in great shape. Run, stretch, weights, yada yada. I can log all day. It won't change the fact that I'm lazy/just don't have the work ethic to actually do it.

"I want to work out and be in great shape."

This is really vague actually, and you could chase that goal forever. I need you to set a small goal, like being able to do 50 pushups and then train specifically for that over the next few weeks whenever you can. Even if you don't become able to do 50 pushups, you'll have gotten slightly stronger along the way. Once you become stronger, you'll start feeling strong and motivated enough to do more stuff.

Set small goals that you can reasonably work toward and progress gradually. What do you mean by running? If you mean like running outside around your neighborhood, that's too easy to excuse yourself from by scapegoating the weather or that the time is bad. I recommend learning to skip/jump rope, which you can do without even leaving your home if you're feeling lazy. Once you get more fit with the jump rope, you'll be able to feel up for running when the opportunity does come instead of pushing it off.

Good luck!

Re: The Surprising Benefits of Relentlessly Auditing Your Life

#28

Post by aerophilic » Sun, May 26, 2019, 2:17 AM UTC

I have often thought about ways of optimizing my life, but doing so in a minimally invasive/time suck matter.

One element, mentioned in the article, is coming up with your “happiness score”. However the way they suggest it seems a bit onerous. I almost wonder if it would be easier to do a “happy or not” style of data collection. Basically like the ones you see at airports, but maybe tied to facial recognition so you know who in the family is recording it.

Ideally you would add more metrics (like sleep monitor), but I feel having just that much would be beneficial.

Thoughts on this? Can anyone think of an easier method for the basic data collection (which doesn’t involve someone filling out a spreadsheet?)

Re: The Surprising Benefits of Relentlessly Auditing Your Life

#29

Post by markwkw » Sun, May 26, 2019, 2:47 AM UTC

mettamage wrote: post #17

When I used to do conscious self improvement, I journaled. I simply answered the prompt: what did I do to achieve my goal today, and what can I do better? This had the same effect as their quantitative approach: you start to see patterns. I’d suggest: the profound enabler of change isn’t the quantitative aspect of it, it is that you’re logging data in the first place. Our brains can’t log that much. Notepads and spre…

Sounds like a refreshingly simple method. Why did you stop?

Re: The Surprising Benefits of Relentlessly Auditing Your Life

#30

Post by 0x8BADF00D » Sun, May 26, 2019, 3:08 AM UTC

lifeisstillgood wrote: post #6

I have a secret startup plan - MOOPs Massive Open Online Psychology. You wire your house with iPhones or Alexas recording your daily conversations with your family - it records things like "number of positive responses" vs "number negative responses" when replying to your spouse or children. There are dozens of simple verbal checks one can pull out of even fairly raw speech to text, let alone visual dances. And imagi…

Yeah this is great. To make it scale, you need to put one additional camera in the bedroom of the parents. /s