3 ms·

The Villains of Remote Work

2 points by tdurden 10y ago

douche 10y ago
I've had days…sometimes a full week, where I can't seem to focus on anything. During these periods I'm often doing things that others may consider a mini-vacation: maybe I'm reading a book, maybe I'm binging a show on Netflix while laying in bed ordering food and not leaving my house. That series of activities is amazing…in a small dose. A very small dose. When you get past the point of actually wanting to partake in something like that, it becomes an absolute nightmare. You start to feel like you're festering. Trapped, anxious, unproductive, bored, and tired. You feel guilt, you want to be able to contribute, but every time you sit down you just stand up again. In these situations it's not just work I can't focus on, but Netflix, books, and video games too. It's an awful feeling. You might have experienced something similar a few times on long breaks from school as a kid, or as a food service worker when you get multiple days off in a row. I am Potato. You are Potato. Potato is in all of us, dying to see the light of day. If you feel Potato coming…run. Really though, that's the solution. Maybe not literally "run" (though in the case of a lot of people, literally run). Change your scenery, bang out an easy win, complete tasks that require zero planning or thought, change how you're sitting, exercise for a little bit, put your shoes on, stand while you work. If none of that helps, leave. Go anywhere, it does not matter where. Find a co-working space to go to, find a beach with wifi, find a rooftop pool, or a coffee shop. If you can't find anything interesting, go to a different continent. Do whatever it takes. It does not matter what it is, but you need to fight Potato from the early spud stages, once it becomes full-grown it can be incredibly difficult to escape. The thing is, once you've fully Potato'd, your mind has been corrupted to the point where all you want to be is Potato, even though you hate every waking second of it.

2 points by tdurden 10y ago

I've had days…sometimes a full week, where I can't seem to focus on anything. During these periods I'm often doing things that others may consider a mini-vacation: maybe I'm reading a book, maybe I'm binging a show on Netflix while laying in bed ordering food and not leaving my house. That series of activities is amazing…in a small dose. A very small dose. When you get past the point of actually wanting to partake in something like that, it becomes an absolute nightmare. You start to feel like you're festering. Trapped, anxious, unproductive, bored, and tired. You feel guilt, you want to be able to contribute, but every time you sit down you just stand up again. In these situations it's not just work I can't focus on, but Netflix, books, and video games too. It's an awful feeling. You might have experienced something similar a few times on long breaks from school as a kid, or as a food service worker when you get multiple days off in a row. I am Potato. You are Potato. Potato is in all of us, dying to see the light of day. If you feel Potato coming…run. Really though, that's the solution. Maybe not literally "run" (though in the case of a lot of people, literally run). Change your scenery, bang out an easy win, complete tasks that require zero planning or thought, change how you're sitting, exercise for a little bit, put your shoes on, stand while you work. If none of that helps, leave. Go anywhere, it does not matter where. Find a co-working space to go to, find a beach with wifi, find a rooftop pool, or a coffee shop. If you can't find anything interesting, go to a different continent. Do whatever it takes. It does not matter what it is, but you need to fight Potato from the early spud stages, once it becomes full-grown it can be incredibly difficult to escape. The thing is, once you've fully Potato'd, your mind has been corrupted to the point where all you want to be is Potato, even though you hate every waking second of it.