Downtime is an effortless way to improve your memory (2018)
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Re: Downtime is an effortless way to improve your memory (2018)
#2It's funny how this seems to be a form of meditation. It seems like an incredibly useful tool for the modern age.
I wonder sometimes just how the brain manages to deal with the influx of all these new, abstract ideas on a daily basis. Doesn't seem like there's much time to digest it all.
But if this works, if it really is an effective tool for learning, I could see it as a good way of bringing clarity into your life as your brain synthesizes patterns and makes sense of what it's been working on for the past few hours.
The indecisiveness that people often report feeling during the day may just be a lack of time spent consolidating all the information you've acquired up to that point.
Maybe it's a sign you need to take a step back and do absolutely nothing.
Re: Downtime is an effortless way to improve your memory (2018)
#3It's funny how this seems to be a form of meditation. It seems like an incredibly useful tool for the modern age. I wonder sometimes just how the brain manages to deal with the influx of all these new, abstract ideas on a daily basis. Doesn't seem like there's much time to digest it all. But if this works, if it really is an effective tool for learning, I could see it as a good way of bringing clarity into your life…
That's also the one interesting argument against podcasts. That they take the last remaining moments of doing nothing (vacuuming, doing the dishes, commuting,...)
Especially interesting since one of the most popular podcasts is also run by a very reflected meditation proponent (Sam Harris).
Re: Downtime is an effortless way to improve your memory (2018)
#4It's funny how this seems to be a form of meditation. It seems like an incredibly useful tool for the modern age. I wonder sometimes just how the brain manages to deal with the influx of all these new, abstract ideas on a daily basis. Doesn't seem like there's much time to digest it all. But if this works, if it really is an effective tool for learning, I could see it as a good way of bringing clarity into your life…
That's also the one interesting argument against podcasts. That they take the last remaining moments of doing nothing (vacuuming, doing the dishes, commuting,...) Especially interesting since one of the most popular podcasts is also run by a very reflected meditation proponent (Sam Harris).
It's funny you mention this, I've been thinking about this lately. I make a 1.1 hour sporty bike ride every day and listen to podcasts while doing so, but I'm often asking myself if I should just not do that and instead listen to myself.
The same goes for falling asleep, where I used to listen to podcasts but they got replaced by YouTube videos which I just listen to. I remember the time when I dealt with my thoughts before falling asleep. That was maybe 10 years ago.
And kids nowadays will probably never get to know that feeling.
Re: Downtime is an effortless way to improve your memory (2018)
#5After some long nights either performing work tasks or going to local meetups I try to take a nap on the train when I commute back to work. Sometimes during my breaks I do some breathing exercises using my Apple Watch.
But, now that I am using meal replacements the actual time that I take to eat lunch and or breakfast goes from 15 minutes to nearly 1-5 minutes which I spend preparing the meal replacement and ingesting it. Since I now have 25 minutes left and I typically eat at around 11am when most people eat around 1pm I have actually started either meditating or doing nothing.
Going on for other ergonomics that should be done during work and or mental tasks remember to check that your workspace is paired with a good chair and that your monitor is at eye level and your mouse and keyboard or other input devices don't require you to reach.
Another thing that is handy is rewarding yourself for a task not necessarily with food but with some form of exercise. After I complete a task using a computer I typically take a victory lap. This seems to actually cause positive reinforcement by rewarding myself with that victory lap. I know that dog trainers will use a toy instead of food to reward their dogs. It also will help your ergonomics and could help with back problems. I find that walking and or doing planking removes back pain for me (I'm 31).
Re: Downtime is an effortless way to improve your memory (2018)
#6I find more and better solutions to problems without actively thinking about them in a 1 hour yoga class than I can actively trying to solve them all day at work.
It's gotten to the point that I need to bring pen and paper with me into practice.
Re: Downtime is an effortless way to improve your memory (2018)
#7It's funny how this seems to be a form of meditation. It seems like an incredibly useful tool for the modern age. I wonder sometimes just how the brain manages to deal with the influx of all these new, abstract ideas on a daily basis. Doesn't seem like there's much time to digest it all. But if this works, if it really is an effective tool for learning, I could see it as a good way of bringing clarity into your life…
That's also the one interesting argument against podcasts. That they take the last remaining moments of doing nothing (vacuuming, doing the dishes, commuting,...) Especially interesting since one of the most popular podcasts is also run by a very reflected meditation proponent (Sam Harris).
One thing I like doing with podcasts is pausing them often to consider my own position. Form my own argument- given the new information I've just obtained.
Often times the wheels just keep turning and I'll forget I was even listening to a podcast, and spend the majority of the time listening to myself think.
I absolutely agree with the argument you mentioned with short term tasks like vacuuming, dishes, etc. If you don't have time to get fully invested (over an hour) it's much better to just listen to your own thoughts.
Re: Downtime is an effortless way to improve your memory (2018)
#8I find more and better solutions to problems without actively thinking about them in a 1 hour yoga class than I can actively trying to solve them all day at work. It's gotten to the point that I need to bring pen and paper with me into practice.
I've said to myself that I do my best work in the bathroom. Whether sitting on the toilet (sorry) or standing in the shower, it seems that enforced brain idle time can be more productive than "trying".
I wonder if there's also a relation to the 'doorway = change of context' in there somewhere? It literally gets you thinking outside the box.
Re: Downtime is an effortless way to improve your memory (2018)
#9I find more and better solutions to problems without actively thinking about them in a 1 hour yoga class than I can actively trying to solve them all day at work. It's gotten to the point that I need to bring pen and paper with me into practice.
Do you find you have an epiphany if you don't think hard about it at all ? I find I wake to a solution the next day, having indicated to my subconscious that the question is important by thinking about it for a good while the prior day. I sadly don't have a way to simply delegate to my subconscious without this interim step.
Re: Downtime is an effortless way to improve your memory (2018)
#10I find more and better solutions to problems without actively thinking about them in a 1 hour yoga class than I can actively trying to solve them all day at work. It's gotten to the point that I need to bring pen and paper with me into practice.
I've said to myself that I do my best work in the bathroom. Whether sitting on the toilet (sorry) or standing in the shower, it seems that enforced brain idle time can be more productive than "trying". I wonder if there's also a relation to the 'doorway = change of context' in there somewhere? It literally gets you thinking outside the box.
For me it's the shower, running or cycling. Performing some kind of physical task that is largely done on 'auto-pilot' in physical space. A more complex task, such as playing soccer, which requires that I exert physical and mental effort won't produce these results.