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I've been off Caffeine for a good two years now and have no plans of going back. Life runs too fast for me on caffeine, yes I can blow through work faster, but

I've been off Caffeine for a good two years now and have no plans of going back. Life runs too fast for me on caffeine, yes I can blow through work faster, but when I was on caffeine it would feel like days, weeks, months would go by in the blink of an eye. I wasn't enjoying the moment.. and then I stopped drinking caffeine. Life became more present for me, not slower in the bad sense, but that I was able to relish every moment more, more aware... more conscious of what was going on around me. My fuse also got really short when I was consuming caffeine, I'd get into a lot of fights and arguments, since I've stopped, it's really helped. I still get all my work done and have time to spare, I'm working, going to school and have an infant at home. So life after caffeine is definitely possible.

nowherecat 9y ago
Hm..reading this makes me wonder ... I noticed that life is running extremely fast lately and I am having a hard time being "in the moment" ... and I drink a lot of coffee. I really enjoy everything about coffee from roasting to brewing though, so it would probably be quite hard giving it up. Anyway, thanks for sharing this, I will take a long look at that.
- eicossa 9y ago
  > really enjoy everything about coffee from roasting to brewing You roast your own beans at home ? How expensive of a setup does that require ?
  - alasdair_ 9y ago
    It's possible to do this with just your home oven, green beans, a tray and a timer.
    - seanp2k2 9y ago
      A cheap (<$100) step up from that is a hot air popcorn popper, and the sky is the limit. Check out http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/12/why-you-shouldnt-roast-coffee-at-home-pros-cons-green-coffee-roasting-kit.html http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/12/why-you-shouldnt-roast... for a quick overview of what you're getting into and some recommended further reading. TL;DR it's not really worth it but can be a fun hobby which can yield good results with practice.
    - eps 9y ago
      Popcorn machine is another popular option.
    - cmclaughlin 9y ago
      You'd need some serious ventilation. I also recommend starting with a popcorn popper outside.
      - ValentineC 9y ago
        > You'd need some serious ventilation. I think this part hasn't been written of enough. How much smoke does coffee roasting create? Is it almost like a barbecue?
        endemic 9y ago
        Yeah, the smoke is considerable, and smells delicious. Definitely an outdoor activity (or be near an open window w/ a fan).
        ValentineC 9y ago
        Yikes. I was quite close to purchasing and roasting some green beans in a not-very-well-ventilated cooking area. Thanks for the heads up!
  - nowherecat 9y ago
    Sorry I meant this more in terms of "learning about every aspect of coffee" .. I did roast my own beans in the past. More out of curiosity, though. All you need to try/start is a cast iron pan and green beans .. but I would recommend reading a book about the roasting process or doing a comprehensive barista course that includes roasting, first.
- cjg 9y ago
  Making a drink doesn't sound like it would be something inherently enjoyable. Perhaps you believe it is because of the boost you get when you drink it. Would making it for others be enjoyable in the same way? When you next make a cup, try to tease out exactly what it is that you enjoy about making it. What is it about that experience that makes it enjoyable?
  - dagw 9y ago
    Making a drink doesn't sound like it would be something inherently enjoyable Why not? Lots of people enjoy making food, even food they're not going to eat. Why would making a drink be that different?
  - sdenton4 9y ago
    See: tea ceremony, Japanese. Ritual itself can be very satisfying. I've taken apart also in Ethiopian coffee making, which is an awesome process. Beans get roasted on the spot and then brewed into coffee, and everyone gets there small cups of the brew, in decreasing concentration. It's a precise ritual, and at the same time very social. It's great!
  - Nursie 9y ago
    Brewing is a fun hobby, takes a long time for any result, but one can get geeky in the details.
  - mafro 9y ago
    The smell, the taste, the ceremony of habit. I enjoy these more than the caffeine. I would probably drink more, if the caffeine effect were less.
- uptownfunk 9y ago
  I still drink decaf occasionally, but only around half a cup.. at most once a week. So you can have some of the ceremony of it if you want. You can also switch to an herbal tea. I do enjoy the smell of it and I miss brewing it in the morning, but the toll on my lifestyle just wasn't worth it for me.
- endorphone 9y ago
  I noticed that life is running extremely fast lately and I am having a hard time being "in the moment" ... and I drink a lot of coffee. I drink a lot of coffee. I'm a very in the moment person, meditate regularly, enjoy and live in the moment, etc. This is an approach to life thing that is quite orthogonal to whether you drink coffee or not.
  - free_everybody 9y ago
    I totally agree. The most "in the moment" person I've ever known ran a non-profit coffee shop and drank coffee every weekday. I drink one cup of coffee three or four times a week and I feel like it boosts my awareness rather than takes away from it.
  - sol_remmy 9y ago
    Regardless of your anecdotal evidence, caffeine as a drug does cause people to focus. This comes at the expense of noticing what happens in the background
    - endorphone 9y ago
      Mindfulness is actually selective focus, so if caffeine helped it then it supports my "anecdote". Caffeine doesn't make life move quicker, it doesn't stop you from enjoying the moment, etc. In conversations like these too often people promote a quick fix type of thing. "I stopped {X} and gained {Y}!", when really there was no causative relationship, and {X} was just a one of many lifestyle changes.
      - tertius 9y ago
        > too often people promote a quick fix type of thing Though, to be fair, caffeine is a very strong stimulant. So likely, when you stop using it, things will change for you. I do a coffee fast (for months) every so often. I suggest you try it, we can share more anecdotes when you're on the other side. I think self-awareness plays a very strong role here. If you're addicted to caffeine, as many are, you know how it makes you feel. Some choose to ignore the effects, others also choose to ignore them... Likely addiction to anything, if broken for a time, will yield results that one can measure against. And yes, stopping addiction is a quick fix.
jayd16 9y ago
Did you quit caffeine by chance or did you start making a conscious effort to live more in the moment and quitting caffeine was part of that?
- uptownfunk 9y ago
  Honestly I was getting into a lot of fights with my wife (then girlfriend) and I was trying to figure out the cause. I was taking 20 units of upper div math at Berkeley and coffee is just part of the culture (see Erdos). I was more of a green tea or Yerba guy, but I eventually pinpointed it to the caffeine. It saved our relationship, and lucky for me too.. she's one of the good ones. Caffeine urges me to jump on my impulse and react fast which is not good for a relationship (especially a young relationship) where a little tolerance goes a long way..
  - swah 9y ago
    So you didn't start meditation or something at the same moment?
    - uptownfunk 9y ago
      I was doing a little yoga and pranayama, but that's about it. But I had been doing that for about a year before I quit. So nothing really changed in that regard.. I also started and stopped coffee a couple times before really quitting and the anger/irritability came right back like clockwork every time I started drinking again..
AliAdams 9y ago
Out of interest, did you only stop drinking caffeine or was it potentially part of a larger set of changes (mindset/dietary/behavioural/etc) made at a similar time?
- uptownfunk 9y ago
  Nothing changed for me but the caffeine. I did go through about a weeklong withdrawal where I could barely get out of my bed though.. it was tough I did feel I was half dead for a good week, but after that your body adjusts, and dare I say I'm more productive and focused now than when I was on caffeine.
Omnus 9y ago
I would love to see a study on coffee consumption's effect on time perception. Maybe it's a widespread phenomenon.
wpietri 9y ago
Yeah, for me caffeine is now a "special occasion" thing, and my life is much better for it. If I'm very low on sleep, or running a long race, I might have small amount, but never more than two days in a row, and I'll go weeks without it. Everybody's different, but I'm unlikely to go back.
etblg 9y ago
......how many cups a day were you drinking?
- uptownfunk 9y ago
  Just one in the morning.
arrty88 9y ago
I don't see myself ever quitting... I only go to work for the coffee.

nowherecat 9y ago

Hm..reading this makes me wonder ... I noticed that life is running extremely fast lately and I am having a hard time being "in the moment" ... and I drink a lot of coffee. I really enjoy everything about coffee from roasting to brewing though, so it would probably be quite hard giving it up. Anyway, thanks for sharing this, I will take a long look at that.

eicossa 9y ago
> really enjoy everything about coffee from roasting to brewing You roast your own beans at home ? How expensive of a setup does that require ?
- alasdair_ 9y ago
  It's possible to do this with just your home oven, green beans, a tray and a timer.
  - seanp2k2 9y ago
    A cheap (<$100) step up from that is a hot air popcorn popper, and the sky is the limit. Check out http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/12/why-you-shouldnt-roast-coffee-at-home-pros-cons-green-coffee-roasting-kit.html http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/12/why-you-shouldnt-roast... for a quick overview of what you're getting into and some recommended further reading. TL;DR it's not really worth it but can be a fun hobby which can yield good results with practice.
  - eps 9y ago
    Popcorn machine is another popular option.
  - cmclaughlin 9y ago
    You'd need some serious ventilation. I also recommend starting with a popcorn popper outside.
    - ValentineC 9y ago
      > You'd need some serious ventilation. I think this part hasn't been written of enough. How much smoke does coffee roasting create? Is it almost like a barbecue?
      - endemic 9y ago
        Yeah, the smoke is considerable, and smells delicious. Definitely an outdoor activity (or be near an open window w/ a fan).
        ValentineC 9y ago
        Yikes. I was quite close to purchasing and roasting some green beans in a not-very-well-ventilated cooking area. Thanks for the heads up!
- nowherecat 9y ago
  Sorry I meant this more in terms of "learning about every aspect of coffee" .. I did roast my own beans in the past. More out of curiosity, though. All you need to try/start is a cast iron pan and green beans .. but I would recommend reading a book about the roasting process or doing a comprehensive barista course that includes roasting, first.
cjg 9y ago
Making a drink doesn't sound like it would be something inherently enjoyable. Perhaps you believe it is because of the boost you get when you drink it. Would making it for others be enjoyable in the same way? When you next make a cup, try to tease out exactly what it is that you enjoy about making it. What is it about that experience that makes it enjoyable?
- dagw 9y ago
  Making a drink doesn't sound like it would be something inherently enjoyable Why not? Lots of people enjoy making food, even food they're not going to eat. Why would making a drink be that different?
- sdenton4 9y ago
  See: tea ceremony, Japanese. Ritual itself can be very satisfying. I've taken apart also in Ethiopian coffee making, which is an awesome process. Beans get roasted on the spot and then brewed into coffee, and everyone gets there small cups of the brew, in decreasing concentration. It's a precise ritual, and at the same time very social. It's great!
- Nursie 9y ago
  Brewing is a fun hobby, takes a long time for any result, but one can get geeky in the details.
- mafro 9y ago
  The smell, the taste, the ceremony of habit. I enjoy these more than the caffeine. I would probably drink more, if the caffeine effect were less.
uptownfunk 9y ago
I still drink decaf occasionally, but only around half a cup.. at most once a week. So you can have some of the ceremony of it if you want. You can also switch to an herbal tea. I do enjoy the smell of it and I miss brewing it in the morning, but the toll on my lifestyle just wasn't worth it for me.
endorphone 9y ago
I noticed that life is running extremely fast lately and I am having a hard time being "in the moment" ... and I drink a lot of coffee. I drink a lot of coffee. I'm a very in the moment person, meditate regularly, enjoy and live in the moment, etc. This is an approach to life thing that is quite orthogonal to whether you drink coffee or not.
- free_everybody 9y ago
  I totally agree. The most "in the moment" person I've ever known ran a non-profit coffee shop and drank coffee every weekday. I drink one cup of coffee three or four times a week and I feel like it boosts my awareness rather than takes away from it.
- sol_remmy 9y ago
  Regardless of your anecdotal evidence, caffeine as a drug does cause people to focus. This comes at the expense of noticing what happens in the background
  - endorphone 9y ago
    Mindfulness is actually selective focus, so if caffeine helped it then it supports my "anecdote". Caffeine doesn't make life move quicker, it doesn't stop you from enjoying the moment, etc. In conversations like these too often people promote a quick fix type of thing. "I stopped {X} and gained {Y}!", when really there was no causative relationship, and {X} was just a one of many lifestyle changes.
    - tertius 9y ago
      > too often people promote a quick fix type of thing Though, to be fair, caffeine is a very strong stimulant. So likely, when you stop using it, things will change for you. I do a coffee fast (for months) every so often. I suggest you try it, we can share more anecdotes when you're on the other side. I think self-awareness plays a very strong role here. If you're addicted to caffeine, as many are, you know how it makes you feel. Some choose to ignore the effects, others also choose to ignore them... Likely addiction to anything, if broken for a time, will yield results that one can measure against. And yes, stopping addiction is a quick fix.

jayd16 9y ago

Did you quit caffeine by chance or did you start making a conscious effort to live more in the moment and quitting caffeine was part of that?

uptownfunk 9y ago
Honestly I was getting into a lot of fights with my wife (then girlfriend) and I was trying to figure out the cause. I was taking 20 units of upper div math at Berkeley and coffee is just part of the culture (see Erdos). I was more of a green tea or Yerba guy, but I eventually pinpointed it to the caffeine. It saved our relationship, and lucky for me too.. she's one of the good ones. Caffeine urges me to jump on my impulse and react fast which is not good for a relationship (especially a young relationship) where a little tolerance goes a long way..
- swah 9y ago
  So you didn't start meditation or something at the same moment?
  - uptownfunk 9y ago
    I was doing a little yoga and pranayama, but that's about it. But I had been doing that for about a year before I quit. So nothing really changed in that regard.. I also started and stopped coffee a couple times before really quitting and the anger/irritability came right back like clockwork every time I started drinking again..

AliAdams 9y ago

Out of interest, did you only stop drinking caffeine or was it potentially part of a larger set of changes (mindset/dietary/behavioural/etc) made at a similar time?

uptownfunk 9y ago
Nothing changed for me but the caffeine. I did go through about a weeklong withdrawal where I could barely get out of my bed though.. it was tough I did feel I was half dead for a good week, but after that your body adjusts, and dare I say I'm more productive and focused now than when I was on caffeine.

Omnus 9y ago

I would love to see a study on coffee consumption's effect on time perception. Maybe it's a widespread phenomenon.

wpietri 9y ago

Yeah, for me caffeine is now a "special occasion" thing, and my life is much better for it. If I'm very low on sleep, or running a long race, I might have small amount, but never more than two days in a row, and I'll go weeks without it. Everybody's different, but I'm unlikely to go back.

etblg 9y ago

......how many cups a day were you drinking?

uptownfunk 9y ago
Just one in the morning.

arrty88 9y ago

I don't see myself ever quitting... I only go to work for the coffee.