4 ms·

> Obviously as I said it's not practical to fly around the world to get work done A friend of mine finished her novel through repeated long-haul flights from J

by Donald 6y ago

> Obviously as I said it's not practical to fly around the world to get work done A friend of mine finished her novel through repeated long-haul flights from JFK. The on-going expense alone is motivating.

esperent 6y ago
I hope, for maximum irony, the novel features climate change as a plot point.
- quickthrower2 6y ago
  Don’t worry the physical print will capture that carbon back!
dpflan 6y ago
Thanks for sharing. This and the parent are interesting anecdotes. It reveals the “cost” of the environment for “deep work”, and therein the price / value of deep work to these individuals. This is an expensive and impactful price to pay to achieve a higher state of mind. How can the environment be recreated on demand (just like a long haul flight schedule) with less cost and environmental impact?
- quickthrower2 6y ago
  Sit in the back seat of your car while parked. Get a friend to bring you some microwaved meals every 4 hours.
huijzer 6y ago
I just would like to say that requiring a flight to be able to focus is absolutely ridiculous. I think the question already starts off in the wrong direction. There are no tricks which solve the problems completely. It would be like asking for a trick to gain muscles or a trick to learn Spanish. The trick for both is: do the work. I'd argue that it is the same for focus. For example, Einstein was able to work through the sound of his crying baby [1]. Ignoring the questionable fatherhood practices, it shows that Einstein did not need a trick to get into the flow. Doing the work implies that you optimize for doing the work. For one, that means reducing the number of possible distractions. Two great examples are Donald Knuth and Linus Torvalds. Knuth, doesn't read his emails or letters for extended periods of time and Linus' workplace is a desk staring straight to a white wall. Both people have clearly optimized for avoiding distractions and they seem to have come quite far with their lifes. If you want to hear a similar message about cutting distractions from an ex-Navy SEAL, then see Jocko [2]. Note that my examples do assume an, lets say, average Hacker News individual. Of course, if you have ADD or live under the poverty line then hearing that you "should just focus" is as unhelpful as telling a depressed person to be happy. [1]: Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson [2]: https://youtu.be/WAiZqtxbvYQ https://youtu.be/WAiZqtxbvYQ
- ZeroGravitas 6y ago
  That Einstien anecdote sounds more like ADHD. Despite the general impression being that it causes lack of focus, its sometimes better thought of as an inability to choose what to focus on. Getting absorbed into something they are passionateky interested in is sometimes described as a positive aspect of ADHD. I just googled and a bunch of people think he may have had ADHD, but I'd guess thats true of basically any combination of famous person and mental health issue.
- bot41 6y ago
  Your [2] (Jocko) is essentially "don't focus on things that don't matter"
- burntoutfire 6y ago
  > For example, Einstein was able to work through the sound of his crying baby [1]. OMG, as someone who is very irritable and has trouble focusing through any kind of noise, this sounds like a superpower. I'm guessing it's largely genetic.

by Donald 6y ago

esperent 6y ago

I hope, for maximum irony, the novel features climate change as a plot point.

quickthrower2 6y ago
Don’t worry the physical print will capture that carbon back!

dpflan 6y ago

Thanks for sharing. This and the parent are interesting anecdotes. It reveals the “cost” of the environment for “deep work”, and therein the price / value of deep work to these individuals. This is an expensive and impactful price to pay to achieve a higher state of mind. How can the environment be recreated on demand (just like a long haul flight schedule) with less cost and environmental impact?

quickthrower2 6y ago
Sit in the back seat of your car while parked. Get a friend to bring you some microwaved meals every 4 hours.

huijzer 6y ago

I just would like to say that requiring a flight to be able to focus is absolutely ridiculous. I think the question already starts off in the wrong direction. There are no tricks which solve the problems completely. It would be like asking for a trick to gain muscles or a trick to learn Spanish. The trick for both is: do the work. I'd argue that it is the same for focus. For example, Einstein was able to work through the sound of his crying baby [1]. Ignoring the questionable fatherhood practices, it shows that Einstein did not need a trick to get into the flow. Doing the work implies that you optimize for doing the work. For one, that means reducing the number of possible distractions. Two great examples are Donald Knuth and Linus Torvalds. Knuth, doesn't read his emails or letters for extended periods of time and Linus' workplace is a desk staring straight to a white wall. Both people have clearly optimized for avoiding distractions and they seem to have come quite far with their lifes. If you want to hear a similar message about cutting distractions from an ex-Navy SEAL, then see Jocko [2]. Note that my examples do assume an, lets say, average Hacker News individual. Of course, if you have ADD or live under the poverty line then hearing that you "should just focus" is as unhelpful as telling a depressed person to be happy. [1]: Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson [2]: https://youtu.be/WAiZqtxbvYQ https://youtu.be/WAiZqtxbvYQ

ZeroGravitas 6y ago
That Einstien anecdote sounds more like ADHD. Despite the general impression being that it causes lack of focus, its sometimes better thought of as an inability to choose what to focus on. Getting absorbed into something they are passionateky interested in is sometimes described as a positive aspect of ADHD. I just googled and a bunch of people think he may have had ADHD, but I'd guess thats true of basically any combination of famous person and mental health issue.
bot41 6y ago
Your [2] (Jocko) is essentially "don't focus on things that don't matter"
burntoutfire 6y ago
> For example, Einstein was able to work through the sound of his crying baby [1]. OMG, as someone who is very irritable and has trouble focusing through any kind of noise, this sounds like a superpower. I'm guessing it's largely genetic.