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How does going back to the office help with structure? Here's an example from my life: I'm having a terrible time getting myself to the gym. Two options come

• drivers99 5y ago
  Premack’s principle. Putting something you are less likely to do on its own (going to the gym, X%) before something that you are more likely (basically 100% for going home at some point) to do. Smart.
• downrightmike 5y ago
  Use discipline (very hard)-this would probably solve a lot more of your problems tbh
  • oblio 5y ago
    Humans don't work like that. Otherwise a majority of people wouldn't become obese in developed countries, many people wouldn't be single, etc. A lot of remote work people are very preachy. It's not helping your cause. You're dealing with imperfect people, that's just fact. Adapt to that.
    • urthor 5y ago
      That's exactly what the research says. We have, a limited amount, of executive function capacity. People who are "disciplined" actually don't have any more. They have good personal habits which automates all the executive function stuff.
      • oblio 5y ago
        Figuring out those good personal habits and repeating them on a daily basis is extremely hard. Some people just have personalities better suited to this or had a more structured upbringing. It's one of the hardest problems in a person's life, sustaining good habits over very long periods of time. It goes above normalcy, it's extraordinary, proven by the fact that most people can't do it.
        • downrightmike 5y ago
          It's one of the hardest problems in a person's life, sustaining good habits over very long periods of time. -Exactly, which is why you try to tackle the problem every day. Not every day is successful, but a handful of days are better then absolute zero. It goes above normalcy, it's extraordinary, proven by the fact that most people can't do it. - You have to live through each and every second of your life, if you don't set yourself up for success, you'll only have a harder time developing good habits. Life is 100% about developing coping mechanisms. I walk on a treadmill for daily standup, I'm out the office/desk at 4pm and spend time with family/the dog/ a good book. The book thing is key because I've found it levels out my mental state and makes it less erratic.
          • bckr 5y ago
            This is a good comment. Much better than your previous one. Thanks. > which is why you try to tackle the problem every day Yes, every day I tackle some of my problems. Many days the effort I spend on a problem is to think about how I can develop habits using less executive function. Today I plan to check out the gym around the corner, because it's closer than the one I've been going to downtown. So close that I could walk there in <5 minutes. This will be easier than any of a 25 minute walk, a 10 minute bike ride (on streets that people drive recklessly on), or a 5 minute drive (that has a lot of friction, especially parking). None of these are excuses for not going to the gym, but rather than forcing myself through a high friction process, I'm spending those "discipline points" creatively acting to reduce the friction (while managing the rest of my life).
    • bckr 5y ago
      Yep. I use the executive function capacity that I have and I work to increase that capacity over time. But pushing too far past that capacity leads to, you guessed it, burn out. +1 to the preachiness. You have done zero to help me or anyone else with your comment, GP. But it probably made you feel good to sneer at me. I hope you get to work 100% remote for the rest of your career though. edit: for those interested in the empirical science available around discipline, willpower, executive function, I point you to Dr. Huberman who has an INCREDIBLE podcast about these subjects: https://youtu.be/vA50EK70whE https://youtu.be/vA50EK70whE
  • praxulus 5y ago
    This is like telling someone to solve their engineering problems by being smarter.