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Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.

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Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.

#41
post #35

I gave up caffeine more than a year ago, because I didn't like the idea of being addicted to a drug. I have a cup of tea once every couple weeks or so, but that's about it. The only improvement I've noticed is that I don't suffer withdrawal symptoms if I don't have caffeine. If anything, I think my mind feels a bit slower without it. I think I might take it up again.

Could be that you are getting older.

Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.

#42
There are also significant benefits to coffee, from being a great source of antioxidants to "Coffee drinkers may be at lower risk of liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson's disease."[1] There is also research regarding benefits to inhibiting cognitive degeneration.

[1] http://articles.cnn.com/2010-04-28/health/coffee.studies_1_c...

Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.

#43
post #34

I was always curious about the timeline between: - finding one of these talismans of productivity - actually trying it out - blogging about it - staying with it I have a feeling the first 3 occur pretty rapidly.

There should be a universal law that makes people who blog about a talisman of productivity revisit their post and comment on it, say 3 months later, then 6 months later etc.

Now is there a service that does that? - enables me to setup reminders (like Outlook calendar) but send them to my long-term (not work) email with a link to a website to be commented on and for that matter any other long term reminders.

Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.

#44
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fascinating point. Then does that mean that being more focused without coffee means I am low on the ADHD spectrum?

Perhaps. Although even the experts don't fully understand ADHD. Most people don't know where they fall on the ADHD spectrum. Maybe that's one of the reasons why there's such a mixed opinion on whether caffeine is good or bad when it comes to focusing.

Oooo. I need to read this.

http://www.pediatricneurology.com/adhd.htm

Or would you recommend another source?

Note to self: reading medical textbooks means you always have the symptoms, so you are always ill.

Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.

#45
When I quit coffee completely for 6 months I felt completely unproductive and slow, so I started again.

That said, coffee culture has trended towards very potent coffee. I now feel like most drip coffee I get in a coffee shop is too strong, and an espresso is the only manageable dose. This is a weird reversal of the situation 15 years ago, where drip coffee was just dirty water, and an espresso is what kept people up all night.

Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.

#47
post #42

There are also significant benefits to coffee, from being a great source of antioxidants to "Coffee drinkers may be at lower risk of liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson's disease."[1] There is also research regarding benefits to inhibiting cognitive degeneration. [1] http://articles.cnn.com/2010-04-28/health/coffee.studies_1_c...

Granted I'm only 28, but my relatives along with several friends are amazed at the fact that I make it a point to not drink coffee. I hate the notion of having to rely on something(y'know, aside from food and water and oxygen) specifically designed to give me a mental boost. I always figured if I was falling asleep midday it was because I was wasn't sleeping well or something of the sort.

It's hard because I also want to get the benefits described in these studies, but don't want to become dependent on caffeine to get through the day.

Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.

#48
post #42

There are also significant benefits to coffee, from being a great source of antioxidants to "Coffee drinkers may be at lower risk of liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson's disease."[1] There is also research regarding benefits to inhibiting cognitive degeneration. [1] http://articles.cnn.com/2010-04-28/health/coffee.studies_1_c...

Granted I'm only 28, but my relatives along with several friends are amazed at the fact that I make it a point to not drink coffee. I hate the notion of having to rely on something(y'know, aside from food and water and oxygen) specifically designed to give me a mental boost. I always figured if I was falling asleep midday it was because I was wasn't sleeping well or something of the sort. It's hard because I also wan…

Try something like meditation, exercising, taking 30 minute holidays... other non-addictive and well tested methods.

Re: Talismans of Productivity: Or give up coffee.

#50

> I did this as I was eating too many cakes and buns with my coffee and was finding the down from the coffee-high was too soul-destroying in a boring desk-job. I think his problem is more related to the sugar highs and lows than the coffee itself.

Ahh the sugar high!

I think this is a bit of a myth. See this:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2747/does-giving-sw...

Seems like one early study made the link but the following studies cannot make the link.

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