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Ask HN: Do you have an optimal time allocation for cognitively draining tasks?
Naturally I fall into a trap of cognitively inefficient behavior that I guess most people do: I work too long, and then I spend too much time consuming news feeds and comments, or playing video games.
I realize I need to better understand how to give myself better rest periods, better leisure time, and more-focused work periods.
- badpun 8y agoI suck at this too. I force myself to take out long walks (luckily, Spring is just starting around here, which means that they'll become pleasant again!) just to clear my head and unplug for 2 hours. Other than that, my conclusion is that I have maybe 25 hours of focused work per week in me. Maybe if I did absolutely nothing else in life (i.e. literally lie in bed and stare at ceiling when not working), my mental capabilities would regenerate faster and thus I could work more, but what is the point of a life like this.
- otras 8y agoIt’s tangentially related, but I highly recommend the Coursera course Learning How To Learn for more insight into how your brain works. The course discusses procrastination and how to work with it. Specifically, I’d recommend pomodoros, sleep, exercise, and the balance between focus and diffuse mode. The latter could be something as simple as taking an hour walk to let your brain process in the background, and I’ve found that all four are helpful.
- tmaly 8y agoI have struggled in the past with making progress on draining tasks. I have takes a slightly different approach. I try to get a little bit of time in on my top long term goals on a more regular basis. I am using mini habits method to overcome lack of motivation or other barriers my brain puts up. See https://tysonmaly.com/books/how-to-make-habits-the-easy-way/ https://tysonmaly.com/books/how-to-make-habits-the-easy-way/
- dmitripopov 8y agoHave you tried pomodoro?