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Here is a really pleasant video with a similar message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz4YqwH_6D0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz4YqwH_6D0 A writer writes

by nicbou 4y ago

Here is a really pleasant video with a similar message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz4YqwH_6D0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz4YqwH_6D0 A writer writes. A painter paints. You are not defined by what you want or prepare for, but by what you do. On the other hand, you don't have to spend every waking hour being productive. You can go on a bicycle ride without measuring speed and distance. You can work on things that won't develop into income streams. Not everything has to be about the hustle and the grind.

Forgeties79 4y ago
>You can go on a bicycle ride without measuring speed and distance. It's kind of wild how people need metrics - myself included - in order to feel like they did something. I have been really trying to address that in my own life after I found it had creeped so far into my daily life that it was influencing what video games I play. I mean...what? I blame it on the fitbit I got years ago haha
- nicbou 4y ago
  I went the other way and refuse to measure things. I have a gut feeling for “enough” and it’s not a fixed value. It varies according to internal and external factors. I prefer to trust that feeling over arbitrary targets. I feel good about a long enough bike ride, even if it’s a few kilometres below average. Maybe I was tired, or maybe I lingered in cafes with a good book that time. Distance isn’t a good measure of happiness.
- jabits 4y ago
  I agree. My wife and I take ocean swims most days and we both use Apple watches for metrics. She wears hers without fail, but I sometimes (disappointedly) forget to wear mine. When that happens it almost feels like I didn’t work out.
quickthrower2 4y ago
I hustle but I timebox it. Figure out the hours/week it deserves. Less is sometimes better. The cliche of the shower idea is true. And if you are productive all the time there is no time for your brain’s webworkers to do their thing.
- nicbou 4y ago
  Since I’m self-employed, I just use the weather. If it’s nice outside, I’ll go out on my bicycle or play in the garage. When the weather isn’t great, I’ll get work done. Those breaks work exactly as you said. They let me zoom out and think things through, instead of grinding towards a local maximum. A bit of time and distance lets me reconsider my priorities and work on what feels right. Otherwise I’ll just work on things that matter less for a bit and let important tasks simmer until I’m feeling fresh enough to tackle them. For example, CSS fixes to take a break from obscure German tax laws.

by nicbou 4y ago

Forgeties79 4y ago

>You can go on a bicycle ride without measuring speed and distance. It's kind of wild how people need metrics - myself included - in order to feel like they did something. I have been really trying to address that in my own life after I found it had creeped so far into my daily life that it was influencing what video games I play. I mean...what? I blame it on the fitbit I got years ago haha

nicbou 4y ago
I went the other way and refuse to measure things. I have a gut feeling for “enough” and it’s not a fixed value. It varies according to internal and external factors. I prefer to trust that feeling over arbitrary targets. I feel good about a long enough bike ride, even if it’s a few kilometres below average. Maybe I was tired, or maybe I lingered in cafes with a good book that time. Distance isn’t a good measure of happiness.
jabits 4y ago
I agree. My wife and I take ocean swims most days and we both use Apple watches for metrics. She wears hers without fail, but I sometimes (disappointedly) forget to wear mine. When that happens it almost feels like I didn’t work out.

quickthrower2 4y ago

I hustle but I timebox it. Figure out the hours/week it deserves. Less is sometimes better. The cliche of the shower idea is true. And if you are productive all the time there is no time for your brain’s webworkers to do their thing.

nicbou 4y ago
Since I’m self-employed, I just use the weather. If it’s nice outside, I’ll go out on my bicycle or play in the garage. When the weather isn’t great, I’ll get work done. Those breaks work exactly as you said. They let me zoom out and think things through, instead of grinding towards a local maximum. A bit of time and distance lets me reconsider my priorities and work on what feels right. Otherwise I’ll just work on things that matter less for a bit and let important tasks simmer until I’m feeling fresh enough to tackle them. For example, CSS fixes to take a break from obscure German tax laws.