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Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?

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Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?

#1
Hi HN. I'm a student and for the past few months I've found myself sitting at my desk each evening with no motivation to do anything. I want to change this. How have you all gotten out of long tracts of lethargy? What are some strategies or approaches you've found to be effective in dealing with this?

Thank you for your advice!

Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?

#2
Well there is two likely possibilities. Either you're depressed. Or you've chosen the wrong field/subset of a field. (Or even both maybe)

So try psychotherapy/seeing a psychiatrist.

And try taking a course on another subject that might interest you. If you find out that what you're studying is not interesting you anymore there is no shame in changing, be careful about the sunken cost fallacy. But also make sure that you're not just depressed for other reasons, because if that's the case trying to study something else won't do much.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?

#3
Withdraw from the class or negotiate an incomplete. Try again next semester. You can’t force it sometimes. Pick one or two classes in the semester that you think you can grind it out in (and even here just aim for a C+). If you can’t do this for any of them, just withdraw from everything.

Then stare at the wall. I’m serious. Wake up every day and stare at the wall until you are so bored you want to open a textbook. Then register for only 1 class next semester and slowly ramp back up to 5 classes over the next two semesters. If you find you are able to stare at a wall and still feel nothing (you feel comfortable with the consequences of doing nothing, even failing), then you are in some crazy dangerous territory. I’ve seen this happen to myself and people close to me. It’s not as simple as the task/goal being beyond you. It’s some other insanity. I’ve seen really smart people unable to bring themselves to do basic stuff on a regular basis due to some kind of hang up. You need a cold shower, ice thrown at you, something, someone needs to shake you violently basically.

Alternatively, lie to a shrink and get an Adderral script.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?

#5
Consider focusing on some fundamentals like: exercising, cold showers, eating reasonably healthy (avoid insulin spikes). Also consider some kind of social or recreation activity that helps make you feel recharged.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?

#6
It's winter right now, go for a run outside, especially if there's snow. You can watch some YouTube videos about how to layer up properly. The air is extra crisp right now and almost nobody runs so the world is yours. I find it extra relaxing and a huge runners high afterwards.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?

#7
Detach! Do things you enjoy for a while - I find it helps to make sure academia/career/whatever isn't my entire personality (which I fall into quite often) and tend to come back to whatever I left with enthusiasm after a couple weeks. I took up exercising last Autumn and have managed to stick with things for longer without going into my usual ruts and I'm sure they're related, so maybe look at doing some sports/gym too.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?

#8
I struggle with this too. The best boost to my mood is when I go for a walk with my wife. Try to get some exercise and sun (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YV_iKnzDRg). Watch your sleep hygiene. Talk to your doctor. When I was younger I rarely even considered going to a doctor. Perhaps you should get some lab work done to make sure you're not vitamin deficient.

I got so depressed that my wife had to make appointments for me and tell my doctor how down I was because I was too embarrassed to admit it.

On a lighter note. You might try pomodoro techniques. Sometimes I do a couple of sessions to get started working until I'm "in to it" enough that I don't need that motivation hack. Also I abstain from social media and all entertainment other than music when I'm at my workstation. Same for when I'm in bed.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?

#9
You don’t. Just let it run its course.

The idea that there’s something wrong with you for not wanting to do anything is artificial. There’s nothing wrong with being a person. And people have flaws.

I spent a few years playing dota competitively. It eventually led to getting a job working on HoN, a dota clone. But at the time, the trajectory looked a lot like “do nothing but play games for a year.”

You can’t know where your path will take you. Relaxing is the first step toward happiness, which is the real goal.

Alternatively, adderall helps too.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get out of a rut?

#10

You don’t. Just let it run its course. The idea that there’s something wrong with you for not wanting to do anything is artificial. There’s nothing wrong with being a person. And people have flaws. I spent a few years playing dota competitively. It eventually led to getting a job working on HoN, a dota clone. But at the time, the trajectory looked a lot like “do nothing but play games for a year.” You can’t know wher…

A synthesis of this mindset plus trying (without unrealistic expectations) to develop good habits as other sibling posts point out is well worth a try. The key phrase I've heard is "committed yet detached". There are some good tools in the box, but no one-size-fits all solution to mental health.
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