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Lately I've been using timers daily

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Re: Lately I've been using timers daily

#51

Post by skeeter2020 »

Swizec wrote: post #35
codyb wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know a few people who seem to always be in negative moods... and when I learn about them, it appears, that basically every waking moment of their lives, there is _some_ form of... signal just being beamed directly into their brain. Whether it's all day long with headphones on playing music, or podcasts, or TV. It's bonkers to me. I resolve so many of my own issues just... staring out the window, or staring at the c…

I need to be very tired to just stare out the window. Get fidgety and somehow anxious. But a motorcycle ride or a nice drive? Even doing the dishes? Now we’re talking! The mind and body are occupied in a mostly autonomus task so the rest of your brain can process and digest. It’s great. Dare I say I almost enjoy doing chores now. Another great option for me is boxing. For those 3 minutes in the ring, you are _not_ th…

I completely agree with some form of exercise or activity that is not supplemented by audio or anything else. Go for a walk and leave your phone at home. Turn off your car audio. I love to drive with the heater blasting and all the windows down in the winter time. Focus combined with spacial awareness makes me feel very alive.

Re: Lately I've been using timers daily

#52

Post by a_petrov »

endorphine wrote: post #33
alberth wrote: post #19

Stop listening to podcasts. Enjoy the quiet. I use to fill up my day with listening to podcasts during all non-work time (e.g. driving in the car, exercising, even showering). It overloads your brain if it's having to process info during every waking moment. You brain just needs quiet time to think, relax and explore. I'm way more relaxed, creative and find unique solutions to problems now, than before.

I was in the same boat. I subconsciously reached for ways to distract my mind whenever it didn't have something to occupy itself with. - When I was doing the dishes, I would immediately put a podcast on - When I was waiting for my kid's music lesson, I would immediately grab a book to read - When I was eating, I would always turn the TV on - When I was sitting on the couch, to supposedly rest, I would put a music rec…

Been there, done that.

- Doing the dishes - podcast

- Walking in the lunch break - audiobook

- Cycling in the park - audiobook

After a couple of months I felt my brain is completely fried from that information overflow.

Now I don't even put my earbuds, unless I'm in a very noisy area and I need to focus on a work task.

I'd say what you describe is an active form of meditation. I do that now when swimming, walking, or simply having a coffee in the morning and looking at the ocean.

Re: Lately I've been using timers daily

#53

Post by voytec »

I call my "timer" a "nagger" and use it via a shell nagme() function. Takes care of certain ADHD traits which were previously causing "refocusing" during unpleasant tasks, like emptying the washing machine (half or less clothes would go to the dryer and half would stay in the washing machine while I'd switch to other task). I learned to only turn off the nagger after completing a task and it works.

It's used not just for time-sensitive tasks but also not to over-engineer stuff during hyperfocus.

    nagme () {
        [ "$#" -ne 2 ] && printf "usage: $0 [in_minutes] [text]\n" && return 1
        printf "sleeping $1 min before telling you to $2\n"
        sleep $(echo $1\*60|bc)
        espeak "$2" > /dev/null 2>&1
        while :
        do
            sleep 30
            echo -n '.'
            espeak "I'm nagging you to $2" > /dev/null 2>&1
        done
    }

Re: Lately I've been using timers daily

#54

Post by simplone »

alberth wrote: post #19

Stop listening to podcasts. Enjoy the quiet. I use to fill up my day with listening to podcasts during all non-work time (e.g. driving in the car, exercising, even showering). It overloads your brain if it's having to process info during every waking moment. You brain just needs quiet time to think, relax and explore. I'm way more relaxed, creative and find unique solutions to problems now, than before.

Genius CEOs know that, so while they email for 30 minutes and go surf, we grind or get fired. If we didn’t grind we’d build our own solutions.

Corporatism is not a random emergent thing. Occupational psychology goes back 100 years, and behavioral economics almost as long.

It’s all melodrama over the end of literal reality if we don’t burn ourselves out though.

Re: Lately I've been using timers daily

#56

Post by mathgorges »

akhosravian wrote: post #44
Swizec wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I need to be very tired to just stare out the window. Get fidgety and somehow anxious. But a motorcycle ride or a nice drive? Even doing the dishes? Now we’re talking! The mind and body are occupied in a mostly autonomus task so the rest of your brain can process and digest. It’s great. Dare I say I almost enjoy doing chores now. Another great option for me is boxing. For those 3 minutes in the ring, you are _not_ th…

Sorry to be that guy, but IME the fidgety & anxious feeling is almost always some need in one’s life that is being unmet. If you sit with that feeling it often becomes clear exactly what the source is. YMMV especially if you’ve experienced some serious trauma.

If you’re interested in doing this, but find it hard to sit it the feelings, consider trying Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which involves investigating the root of your feelings within your mind.

It’s best to do DBT with a professional, but there’s a large community of DIY DBT practitioners out there. [1]

If your unable to investigate the source of some feelings (e.g. because your brain shuts down when you interrogate them) there is a new-ish practice for detangling your thoughts without all the interpersonal unpleasantness of Talk Therapy (that doesn’t mean it won’t be unpleasant in it’s own way).

It’s called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Again, working with a professional is best, but it’s possible to be successful with a DIY approach. [2]

Disclaimer: I’m not a professional in any form of health, mental or otherwise. I’m just a happy self-administered DBT & EMDR patient :)

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

[2]: https://anxietyreleaseapp.com/

Re: Lately I've been using timers daily

#57

Post by alexalx666 »

matwood wrote: post #23
alberth wrote: post #19

Stop listening to podcasts. Enjoy the quiet. I use to fill up my day with listening to podcasts during all non-work time (e.g. driving in the car, exercising, even showering). It overloads your brain if it's having to process info during every waking moment. You brain just needs quiet time to think, relax and explore. I'm way more relaxed, creative and find unique solutions to problems now, than before.

I've been switching back to classical music more and more for this reason. For me it fades into background like white noise. Slightly related, but one of my favorite ways to exercise for many years has been Jiu-Jitsu. It forces presence in the exact moment, which for me triggers a mind flush. When I get done training I often immediately see solutions to problems I had been exploring. Finally, there is a fairly new bo…

classical music is great! I started with piano sonatas and now able to enjoy piano and violin concerts. Highly recommend Roon/Qobuz combo for streaming classical

Re: Lately I've been using timers daily

#58

Post by robohoe »

Swizec wrote: post #35
codyb wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know a few people who seem to always be in negative moods... and when I learn about them, it appears, that basically every waking moment of their lives, there is _some_ form of... signal just being beamed directly into their brain. Whether it's all day long with headphones on playing music, or podcasts, or TV. It's bonkers to me. I resolve so many of my own issues just... staring out the window, or staring at the c…

I need to be very tired to just stare out the window. Get fidgety and somehow anxious. But a motorcycle ride or a nice drive? Even doing the dishes? Now we’re talking! The mind and body are occupied in a mostly autonomus task so the rest of your brain can process and digest. It’s great. Dare I say I almost enjoy doing chores now. Another great option for me is boxing. For those 3 minutes in the ring, you are _not_ th…

Track driving will put you into that mode. It's about 20-25 minutes of pure bliss and focus on your line, braking, throttle control, etc.
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