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I suggest leveraging the meditative process driving has on the brain. I went through a process where I was trying to be extremely productive every minute of ev

by kayman 10y ago

I suggest leveraging the meditative process driving has on the brain. I went through a process where I was trying to be extremely productive every minute of every day. That meant filling every minute with productive tasks including commute time with Podcasts and educational material. But you get into this productivity loop without any real productivity. In the end I found the best use of my drive time is just relax and let your brain run. Enjoy the sights and smells, the air coming through the window. Observe your brain how it notices cars and avoid potential disaster. If you play it right, you'll have 2 hours per day to just do nothing. Let your brain work freeform while focusing on something simple like deep breaths.

styles 10y ago
I started doing this and began feeling a lot less stressed. It's helped a lot with my general well-being.
maxxxxx 10y ago
I listen to podcasts I enjoy, not necessarily educational ones. I find that relaxing. We shouldn't underestimate the subconscious stress driving causes. Even in low traffic driving uses a lot of energy.
minhaz23 10y ago
Are we really doing nothing? Im quoting the book Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt here: "Researchers have estimated there are anywhere from 1500 to 2500 discrete skills and activities we undertake while driving. Even the simplest thing — shifting gears — is a decision-making process consuming what is called "cognitive workload." We’re operating heavy machinery at speeds beyond our long evolutionary history, absorbing (and discarding) huge amounts of information, and having to make snap decisions — often based on limited situational awareness, guesses about what others are going to do, or a hazy knowledge of the actual traffic law. It took years of research, for example, by some of the country’s top robotics researchers, to create expensive, sophisticated self-driving "autonomous vehicles" that are basically mediocre beginning drivers that you’d never want to let loose in everyday traffic. When we forget that driving isn’t necessarily as easy as it seems to be, we get into trouble."
Schwolop 10y ago
I second this, but would also add that I've started motorcycling instead of driving. Even a commute on a motorbike is a thing of wonder, using parts of my brain and fight-or-flight responses I've left dormant for years. But to the primary point, I also thoroughly agree that downtime is important, and there's a danger of trying to optimise every waking hour too much. Learning the art of structured procrastination (neither too much nor too little) should be part of every pragmatic programmer's toolkit.
- skanga 10y ago
  +1 on motorcycling. Add a little zest to your life.
- Declanomous 10y ago
  I started bicycling to work earlier this year, and it's much less stressful than driving. My commute is about 7 miles when riding my bike, or about 10 miles when driving. Driving takes about 25 minutes on the way to work, and about 35 on the way home. Cycling is about 40 minutes both ways. I take it a little easier on the way to work because I don't want to sweat too much, and then change in to my work clothes and do a hobo shower in the single stall bathroom. On the way home I can choose my pace, unlike when I'm driving. I can mash the pedals and let off some steam when I need to, or I can mosey home when I'm getting burned out. Stopping along the way is much easier. I'll grab coffee, or a snack, or check out a used book store I've never seen before. Plus, you are much more a part of the world when you are cycling, and you can look around more and notice things you wouldn't when driving. I'm sure a lot of these things hold true for motorcycling as well. I'm not much of a morning person, but I find it much easier to concentrate when I arrive at work after cycling in. I also find myself much more energized when I get home, even if I'm pretty tired when I leave work. I find taking public transportation provides some of the meditative aspects, since I can reflect on my day more when I'm not driving in Chicago traffic, but bicycling allows me to combine my commute with exercise, which is amazing from both a mental health and physical health perspective. That being said, riding a bicycle is certainly more dangerous than driving or taking public transportation. While I can take steps to mitigate the risk, I need to cross a number of bridges and go under a number of viaducts on my way to work, and the risk is substantially higher while on a bike than in a car, bus or train. I don't think I'd be comfortable riding my bike on my current commute if I had a kid.

by kayman 10y ago

styles 10y ago

I started doing this and began feeling a lot less stressed. It's helped a lot with my general well-being.

maxxxxx 10y ago

I listen to podcasts I enjoy, not necessarily educational ones. I find that relaxing. We shouldn't underestimate the subconscious stress driving causes. Even in low traffic driving uses a lot of energy.

minhaz23 10y ago

Are we really doing nothing? Im quoting the book Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt here: "Researchers have estimated there are anywhere from 1500 to 2500 discrete skills and activities we undertake while driving. Even the simplest thing — shifting gears — is a decision-making process consuming what is called "cognitive workload." We’re operating heavy machinery at speeds beyond our long evolutionary history, absorbing (and discarding) huge amounts of information, and having to make snap decisions — often based on limited situational awareness, guesses about what others are going to do, or a hazy knowledge of the actual traffic law. It took years of research, for example, by some of the country’s top robotics researchers, to create expensive, sophisticated self-driving "autonomous vehicles" that are basically mediocre beginning drivers that you’d never want to let loose in everyday traffic. When we forget that driving isn’t necessarily as easy as it seems to be, we get into trouble."

Schwolop 10y ago

I second this, but would also add that I've started motorcycling instead of driving. Even a commute on a motorbike is a thing of wonder, using parts of my brain and fight-or-flight responses I've left dormant for years. But to the primary point, I also thoroughly agree that downtime is important, and there's a danger of trying to optimise every waking hour too much. Learning the art of structured procrastination (neither too much nor too little) should be part of every pragmatic programmer's toolkit.

skanga 10y ago
+1 on motorcycling. Add a little zest to your life.
Declanomous 10y ago
I started bicycling to work earlier this year, and it's much less stressful than driving. My commute is about 7 miles when riding my bike, or about 10 miles when driving. Driving takes about 25 minutes on the way to work, and about 35 on the way home. Cycling is about 40 minutes both ways. I take it a little easier on the way to work because I don't want to sweat too much, and then change in to my work clothes and do a hobo shower in the single stall bathroom. On the way home I can choose my pace, unlike when I'm driving. I can mash the pedals and let off some steam when I need to, or I can mosey home when I'm getting burned out. Stopping along the way is much easier. I'll grab coffee, or a snack, or check out a used book store I've never seen before. Plus, you are much more a part of the world when you are cycling, and you can look around more and notice things you wouldn't when driving. I'm sure a lot of these things hold true for motorcycling as well. I'm not much of a morning person, but I find it much easier to concentrate when I arrive at work after cycling in. I also find myself much more energized when I get home, even if I'm pretty tired when I leave work. I find taking public transportation provides some of the meditative aspects, since I can reflect on my day more when I'm not driving in Chicago traffic, but bicycling allows me to combine my commute with exercise, which is amazing from both a mental health and physical health perspective. That being said, riding a bicycle is certainly more dangerous than driving or taking public transportation. While I can take steps to mitigate the risk, I need to cross a number of bridges and go under a number of viaducts on my way to work, and the risk is substantially higher while on a bike than in a car, bus or train. I don't think I'd be comfortable riding my bike on my current commute if I had a kid.