4 ms·

Completely agree. Excuse the crudeness, but for me your 'Step 2' is to go and sit on the toilet. I have solved untold amounts of problems by stepping away from

by alt227 4y ago

Completely agree. Excuse the crudeness, but for me your 'Step 2' is to go and sit on the toilet. I have solved untold amounts of problems by stepping away from the computer and sitting on the pot for 20 mins.

marginalia_nu 4y ago
That can help, or just the classic shower insight, but for me I often get even bigger dividends by stepping way away from the computer. I've had absolute avalanches of new insights when I've been away from any sort of computer for days. It feels like the process of loading more "problem" into the working buffer interrupts or even resets these background processes to some degree.
- jareklupinski 4y ago
  it's the shower for me too something about the sound that helps detune the parts of the brain that aren't needed, giving maximum energy/flexibility to the background cores
  - mordae 4y ago
    Works in the tub as well. I believe it's a combination of white noise from the water, lack of windows and screens and hot water feeling relaxing.
  - Aeolun 4y ago
    Hmm, for me I think part of it is the certainty that you won’t get interrupted or distracted while sitting or showering.
fakedang 4y ago
No shame there. I figured out the answer to a question posed by a professor (which later evolved into my master's thesis), while sitting on the porcelain throne. Letting go of a few solids perhaps let's your mental obstacles loosen.
gurjeet 4y ago
Pacing around in the parking lot has worked for me many a times.
- erik_seaberg 4y ago
  I still miss working a block away from Yerba Buena. Office parks are nice but not quite the same.
- SamPatt 4y ago
  Having a good walking trail near your home is way underrated. Nearly all my good thoughts come when walking.
  - throwaway2037 4y ago
    When I go hiking (99% alone), about half way through my brain is so intellectually under-stimulated that I start having a conversation with myself about a difficult problem. So many epiphanies have come to me that way. The same for travelling alone. Walking long distances in foreign places really makes you mull about things a different way.
    - marginalia_nu 4y ago
      Walking is like DEFRAG.EXE for the soul.
npteljes 4y ago
No shame, in fact I think this reflects on a more important part of society: on how you just can't get away from it. The toilet is the most commonly available, most socially acceptable way to just have some minutes to yourself.

by alt227 4y ago

marginalia_nu 4y ago

That can help, or just the classic shower insight, but for me I often get even bigger dividends by stepping way away from the computer. I've had absolute avalanches of new insights when I've been away from any sort of computer for days. It feels like the process of loading more "problem" into the working buffer interrupts or even resets these background processes to some degree.

jareklupinski 4y ago
it's the shower for me too something about the sound that helps detune the parts of the brain that aren't needed, giving maximum energy/flexibility to the background cores
- mordae 4y ago
  Works in the tub as well. I believe it's a combination of white noise from the water, lack of windows and screens and hot water feeling relaxing.
- Aeolun 4y ago
  Hmm, for me I think part of it is the certainty that you won’t get interrupted or distracted while sitting or showering.

fakedang 4y ago

No shame there. I figured out the answer to a question posed by a professor (which later evolved into my master's thesis), while sitting on the porcelain throne. Letting go of a few solids perhaps let's your mental obstacles loosen.

gurjeet 4y ago

Pacing around in the parking lot has worked for me many a times.

erik_seaberg 4y ago
I still miss working a block away from Yerba Buena. Office parks are nice but not quite the same.
SamPatt 4y ago
Having a good walking trail near your home is way underrated. Nearly all my good thoughts come when walking.
- throwaway2037 4y ago
  When I go hiking (99% alone), about half way through my brain is so intellectually under-stimulated that I start having a conversation with myself about a difficult problem. So many epiphanies have come to me that way. The same for travelling alone. Walking long distances in foreign places really makes you mull about things a different way.
  - marginalia_nu 4y ago
    Walking is like DEFRAG.EXE for the soul.

npteljes 4y ago

No shame, in fact I think this reflects on a more important part of society: on how you just can't get away from it. The toilet is the most commonly available, most socially acceptable way to just have some minutes to yourself.