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If that's your thing, I'm totally cool with it - if you need to watch TV or play video games to decompress, that's fine. I personally get really anxious when I

If that's your thing, I'm totally cool with it - if you need to watch TV or play video games to decompress, that's fine. I personally get really anxious when I'm "wasting" time and would rather learn something (math, computers, music, something) or do something (housework, yardwork, something) with my "spare" time and I can't help but notice that me not spending time doing what other people consider "leisure" activities really irks a lot of people. Like, to each their own, you know?

golol 3y ago
You misunderstand. He is like you. He felt anxious when he wasn't being productive so he spent his free time studying or whatever. But at some point maybe that stops working for you. Maybe you just don't have energy left and need a break. That happened to him and the important realization is that then you also have to let go of that anxious feeling, because if you aren't gonna be productive you might as well have fun. It's easy to say "to each their own" if it hasn't happened to you (yet): not actually feeling like being productive while still having that anxious feeling. So what I'm trying to say is: It's good to be productive but being driven by anxiety is maybe not something you should view as a fundamental character trait of yours.
chronofar 3y ago
> I personally get really anxious when I'm "wasting" time One could argue that this is the problem. Not that you spend your time doing activities others wouldn't consider leisurely, but that you feel compelled to because otherwise you become "really anxious." Some anxiety can be a propulsion, but too much can be a pathology. I'm certainly not fit to evaluate your own, but by your own words I'd suggest it's possibly worth further reflection. Check out Four Thousand Weeks for some recent musings on why that anxiety may be best ignored rather than heeded: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54785515-four-thousand-weeks https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54785515-four-thousand-w...
shrimp_emoji 3y ago
This might be decoupled from productivity anxiety, but my theory is that there are different types of "fun". There's the "simple carbohydrate" fun of, say, an action game, which is immediate, easy, but low-nutrition and, enjoyed overlong, makes me feel empty inside. Then there's the "complex carbohydrate" fun of learning something new or working on a project, which is more fulfilling and interesting but also work -- mentally taxing -- and, enjoyed overlong, burns me out. My brain seems to demand a balanced diet of both.
BossingAround 3y ago
> I personally get really anxious when I'm "wasting" time and would rather learn something What happens when you get to such a state where you simply cannot NOT waste time? E.g. your job becomes so soul-sucking that you have no mental energy left? Might you be then the author of the post? Hmm.

golol 3y ago

You misunderstand. He is like you. He felt anxious when he wasn't being productive so he spent his free time studying or whatever. But at some point maybe that stops working for you. Maybe you just don't have energy left and need a break. That happened to him and the important realization is that then you also have to let go of that anxious feeling, because if you aren't gonna be productive you might as well have fun. It's easy to say "to each their own" if it hasn't happened to you (yet): not actually feeling like being productive while still having that anxious feeling. So what I'm trying to say is: It's good to be productive but being driven by anxiety is maybe not something you should view as a fundamental character trait of yours.

chronofar 3y ago

> I personally get really anxious when I'm "wasting" time One could argue that this is the problem. Not that you spend your time doing activities others wouldn't consider leisurely, but that you feel compelled to because otherwise you become "really anxious." Some anxiety can be a propulsion, but too much can be a pathology. I'm certainly not fit to evaluate your own, but by your own words I'd suggest it's possibly worth further reflection. Check out Four Thousand Weeks for some recent musings on why that anxiety may be best ignored rather than heeded: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54785515-four-thousand-weeks https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54785515-four-thousand-w...

shrimp_emoji 3y ago

This might be decoupled from productivity anxiety, but my theory is that there are different types of "fun". There's the "simple carbohydrate" fun of, say, an action game, which is immediate, easy, but low-nutrition and, enjoyed overlong, makes me feel empty inside. Then there's the "complex carbohydrate" fun of learning something new or working on a project, which is more fulfilling and interesting but also work -- mentally taxing -- and, enjoyed overlong, burns me out. My brain seems to demand a balanced diet of both.

BossingAround 3y ago

> I personally get really anxious when I'm "wasting" time and would rather learn something What happens when you get to such a state where you simply cannot NOT waste time? E.g. your job becomes so soul-sucking that you have no mental energy left? Might you be then the author of the post? Hmm.