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I find that routine is important to getting regular exercise and movement. I am one of those programmers who likes getting into a 'flow' state and working for
by cyberferret 9y ago
I find that routine is important to getting regular exercise and movement. I am one of those programmers who likes getting into a 'flow' state and working for large blocks of time, so my strategy is to try and get a 1 hr walk in the morning when I wake up.
Much as people like to check their Inbox first thing to get it out of the way before starting productive work, I find that getting my walk in the morning before I have breakfast and sit down to start work ensures that it happens. If I tried to fit it in late in the day, I know that a long debug session or support email thread with a customer will easily derail it.
Organised activity is also good for making me stick to schedules. I took up Kendo about 18 months ago, and the regularly scheduled classes and training sessions are good for forcing me off the computer and go work up a sweat. I especially love the little 30 second meditation we do at the start and end of each class. The purpose of the starting meditation is to put aside all our normal work/life/personal worries and stresses, and focus on the sport, then the end meditation is to bring them all back again.
- sdrothrock 9y ago> I took up Kendo about 18 months ago, and the regularly scheduled classes and training sessions are good for forcing me off the computer and go work up a sweat. I especially love the little 30 second meditation we do at the start and end of each class. Mokuso was integral to teaching me to relax and focus; I try to continue meditating even though I haven't done kendo for years, but some days I just want to be sitting in my keikogi in a chilly dojo listening to someone shout "MOKUSOOO~" -- something about that environment was conducive to relaxing.
- Tharkun 9y agoMokuso, 黙想, "idea of silence", pretty much translates to "meditation".
- Camillo 9y agoWhy "idea of silence" and not "silent thinking"?
- cyberferret 9y agoAbsolutely. I look forward to Mokuso during training. It is really a great, relaxing transition between 'everyday' and 'dojo' state of mind. I particularly enjoy the ceremony surrounding Kendo. That, coupled with the discipline really helps me to focus and push myself both physically and mentally. It makes a great counterpoint to the purely intellectual activity of programming, which I find helps balance me.
- lloeki 9y agoI go skateboarding at a nearby spot right after work. I found out that, no matter what, I have to take some time for my mind to unwind, otherwise I'm just not there. Although I occasionally talk to fellow people during that time, more often than not I just sit there absorbing the moment, watching the flow and listening to the pops. Such mindfulness gives some quietness to the mind and dramatically improves mind-body attunement.
- manmal 9y agoThe problem is that being sedentary for hours is not alleviated by working out in the morning or evening. You have to break the flow every hour, or more often, and move.
- abledon 9y agoThis is inconvenient truth