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Ask HN: I am wasting so much of time, what can I do?

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Re: Ask HN: I am wasting so much of time, what can I do?

#41

Post by HSO »

While every situation is different, I have some issues with my work style and concentration/focus too. Now I'm 2 weeks into an 8-week meditation program and starting to feel its effect. Without more information and expertise, I think this is a pretty safe bet for you.

Here are some links:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/14/magazine/is-buddhism-good-...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/health/15chen.html?pagewan...

some counterarguments: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/health/research/27budd.htm...

I am using (the first few chapters of) "Full Catastrophe Living" with the tapes.

Bon courage!

Re: Ask HN: I am wasting so much of time, what can I do?

#43

Post by schiptsov »

$ sudo apt-get remove firefox chromium pidgin telepathy ekiga skype ^_^

update: the situation you describe indicates that you just don't like your job. You have no joy in doing what you're supposed to do. So, consider the possibility of changing your job to something you're really like and enjoy.

Re: Ask HN: I am wasting so much of time, what can I do?

#44

Post by [deleted] »

gte910h wrote: post #34
cletus wrote: post #7

The first question I need to put out there is: are you bored or simply burnt out? This can often masquerade as an inability to concentrate. Fact is, if you like what you do it's a lot easier to just do it. That being said, many (most?) people benefit (or even need) a relatively distraction-free environment. This means no TV near your computer (particularly relevant if you work from home), stopping distractions from o…

>In my case I can't stand people walking around me, I've had people threaten my job because of my similar positioning of my monitor "What are you hiding", etc.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: I am wasting so much of time, what can I do?

#45

Post by ricardobeat »

kaybe wrote: post #39
cletus wrote: post #7

The first question I need to put out there is: are you bored or simply burnt out? This can often masquerade as an inability to concentrate. Fact is, if you like what you do it's a lot easier to just do it. That being said, many (most?) people benefit (or even need) a relatively distraction-free environment. This means no TV near your computer (particularly relevant if you work from home), stopping distractions from o…

Just use the headphones without music to only get the wins from this. It's not like anyone except you can tell the difference.

I do this all the time. Unintentionally - I start working and forget to hit "play" :)

Re: Ask HN: I am wasting so much of time, what can I do?

#46

Post by lfx »

bennesvig wrote: post #29
acangiano wrote: post #5

Consider the following three steps: 1) Pomodoro Technique. Aim for something like 14-18 pomodori per day. (Assuming 25 minutes per pomodoro.) If you do the math you may think "oh that's not much" but you'll be exhausted by the end of it. 2) Install Rescuetime and religiously use it to track how your time is spent during the weekday. Use their "Stay focused" function when you are sprinting on a pomodoro. 3) Get a seco…

Great advice. I'll be checking out RescueTime. Do you use the pro version or just the free version?

Free version works just fine.

Re: Ask HN: I am wasting so much of time, what can I do?

#49

Post by TuaAmin13 »

mkopinsky wrote: post #35
nosse wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it relaxing to actually use my calendar. If I have stuff that I can schedule somewhere in near future, but I don't have the time to do it now, It's lot nicer looking at my calendar than my TO DO list.

A calendar or a formal todo list are both too formal for me. I use Post-It notes, or a pad of paper on a busy day.

I use a kind of combination. I would probably be drowning in post-its scattered about my cube at the end of the day. Outlook ToDo's are kinda strange to use, so I picked up a steno pad and I write down all my tasks for the day every day in the morning. I go through and put +/*/- next to each one (after I'm done) for priority. As stuff comes up I add it to the list and assess its priority then.

When I start to work on a task, I open up onenote and break that task in to sub tasks that are more bite sized (a la pomodoro) that I can strikethrough when I'm done. Strikethrough you can add to your quick bar in Office 2010. Using onenote I can expand subtasks if I find they're too large, and if I have to stop working on task A to go to B I know approximately where I left off. Inserting text is difficult on paper.

When all the subtasks are done I delete it from onenote and strike it through on the paper.

Pomodoro is a bit too rigid for me in the office where anyone in the cube farm can interrupt you any time of the day, but it certainly did help me crunch through my 10 page paper during my last semester in college.

Re: Ask HN: I am wasting so much of time, what can I do?

#50

Post by MrJew »

nosse wrote: post #28

I've been struggling with my studies for years. I was supposed to graduate as civil engineer. Now I'm finally getting better, but it took several things: 1. Baby steps. Spring 2010 was the first time that I understood that taking less courses means that I have more energy per course. So I started with one, then two, then three. Now I have five ongoing courses at the same time, and I don't (quite) feel overwhelmed. My…

Saturdays. Jews don't work on Saturdays, schmuck.
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