7 ms·

> booze enables workaholism, because of the fast unwind time I think this is the key insight from the article. I went through a stressful period where I used a

by bitops 13y ago

> booze enables workaholism, because of the fast unwind time I think this is the key insight from the article. I went through a stressful period where I used alcohol to wind down quickly. But in reality it just made things worse because it numbed me up to the real reasons why I was stressed out. Sometimes though, we don't want to look at the deeper issues (emotional/psychological) for why we are unhappy, and booze provides some quick and effective relief. I've recently gotten much healthier and it's amazing to experience that the old adage about "making a lifestyle change" really is the core of it. All the different parts of your life have to hang together for the positive switch to happen. If you think of exercise and diet as a way to "pay down the debt" you'll never get out from under whatever is holding you down.

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
ljf 13y ago
For ages I was in the habit of having a glass of wine of beer each night after work. For me it all changed when I started cycling daily. Firstly I started to notice the difference it made to me when I didn't drink each evening when I got home, on a 14mile each way ride it would take me at least an extra 5 minutes each way after just one or two beers the night before. Then in time I found the bike ride alone was all I needed to unwind. I still drink socially, but I'm planning on cutting even that back lately.
- a8da6b0c91d 13y ago
  Beer absolutely kills me. I don't think it did when I was younger, but now two or three beers will get me slaughtered on the racquetball court the next day and leave me mentally slow. But it's just beer and all the various crap in it. Liquor is fine.
- exit 13y ago
  if 5 minutes is a signal, how wide is your normal variation interval?
  - ljf 13y ago
    It was a 14 mile journey that usually took between 50 and 55 mins, but only 55 when I was in bad traffic, after stopping weekday beers I got down to 45 on a far more regular basis, sometimes breaking that barrier. I have my data from the old Nokia Sports Tracker site somewhere I'm sure i could dig through. As I left at a set time and had to be at work at a set time I had to push myself to make the time up, it just became easier (or harder) based on my drinking the night before. Even single pint was and is noticeable. These days I have a 10 mile commute that take 30 on a perfect cycle in, 35 on a slow day and 40 when I've not been eating enough carbs at the right times. But I'm much better at planning my meals now. For me cycling is an amazing way to start and end the day, just thinking about the road and making my Strava segments as quickly and safely as I can. Find me as liamjford on Strava if you use that.
- te_chris 13y ago
  Absolutely this. I got back into competitive swimming (masters level, nothing too serious) and suddenly my training sessions were real workouts, not the laziness I do when I'm by myself. I actively try and avoid alcohol during the week as it just make training worse.
Dewie 13y ago
I wonder if maybe meditation could serve as a fast unwind, in the long term.
- bitops 13y ago
  I absolutely think meditation could serve as a way to unwind, in any term.
- homosaur 13y ago
  It DEFINITELY can, but like with exercise, it's all about training and practice. Experienced meditators can usually get to where they're trying to get in a matter of minutes.
  - Dewie 13y ago
    I've used brainwave entrainment before, and one of the supposed benefits of that is that you're supposed to more easily enter a meditative state when using it. The long-term goal is to meditate with the aid of brainwave entrainment, and eventually be able to get into the same 'state of mind' independent of brainwave entrainment (but your training is supposed to have let you enter that state faster than if you would have practiced meditation without brainwave entrainment).
- mbrock 13y ago
  Meditation is also a practice of continuous "unwinding," or staying clear of being "wound up." You could make a decent case for summarizing Buddhist philosophy in this way: regular life is stressful, the source of stress is being wound up, and it's possible to practice not being wound up, through specific techniques including meditation. (That's a somewhat customized translation of the so called "four noble truths.") One of the techniques involved in Buddhist practice, incidentally, is abstaining from habitual use of alcohol and other intoxicants. People have been experimenting with these kinds of life hacks for a long time...
  - Dewie 13y ago
    When studying I usually take a 15 minute break for each 45 minutes of studying, or 30 minute for every 90 minutes of studying. Instead of browsing websites and such I also sometimes try to do some stretches or pushups - mainly to get a break from the computer screen and engage my body, since a little activity picks me up a little bit. Lately I've considered trying to sometimes meditate in the breaks. With the pushups I try to get away from reading and thinking too much, and by meditating I hope to disengage my mind even more so that I can return to studying or working more refreshed. This also ties in with using meditation as a quick way to relax, and unlike with booze I can get back to whatever I was doing quickly.
nrivadeneira 13y ago
I find that a hardcore workout works even better than alcohol. Not only do you get the same winding down effect in a short period of time (assuming you're really killing yourself and working to exhaustion in the gym), but you get a lot of additional benefits along with it: better focus, improved health, boosted confidence, and improved body composition. You wake up the next morning feeling a lot better about yourself. My experience with alcohol is often the opposite.
- bitops 13y ago
  Definitely - I've started practicing aikido 3 times a week, for at least an hour each time I go (I worked my way up to it). I usually go to the dojo for 2 1/2 hours, but not always. It's done more for my physical and mental well-being than any other type of exercise. Practicing Qi Gong in the mornings before leaving the house has also helped. Generally speaking, I think practicing martial arts is a good thing for technical people to do. It gets you out of your head and into a feeling space. And, there are many interesting parallels between the learning process in martial arts and in programming.
  - nrivadeneira 13y ago
    That's exactly how I feel about powerlifting. Once you get to a certain level, the attention to detail, specificity, and focus you need to progress are great analogues to other areas such as programming or entrepreneurship. It's become my personal meditation time where I disconnect from everything else and focus intensely on optimization and improvement. If anyone is interested, this book has given me a vastly different perspective on things like exercise (or in parent's case, martial arts): http://www.amazon.com/Mastery-Keys-Success-Long-Term-Fulfillment/dp/0452267560 http://www.amazon.com/Mastery-Keys-Success-Long-Term-Fulfill... When put in that perspective, I think exercise would greatly appeal to most hackers.
    - jborden13 13y ago
      I want to tack on cycling to this. I can't count the number of times I've wanted to solve all of the world's problems at the beginning of a bike ride. And the result is always the same. The primary problem that I end up solving is 'how the hell do I move myself over the next 60+ miles without blowing up and getting dropped by the pack.' And not falling - not falling is key. Dodging cars, cyclists, potholes, cracks, animals, gravel, basically anything that can ruin your ride, becomes a major focus. Then after you finish the ride, you are on a physical high from the exertion and a mental high from getting to take a break from your petty little problems. Man I want to go ride now...
colbyh 13y ago
Having never been a drinker (well, tried a bit as a kid but quickly realized it wasn't my thing) it wasn't until the last couple of years that I started to understand why people drink. Being in the early stages of a new company and wanting/needing to work insane hours is all fine and good but after a while of not being able to easily detach it's easy to find yourself being overly anxious and distant. Like, clinically so. That being said, some people can use alcohol recreationally and some are more or less destined to use it as a crutch. I'm certainly in the latter category.
- bitops 13y ago
  > some are more or less destined to use it as a crutch. I'm certainly in the latter category. I don't think that has to be true - you just need to find something else that unwinds you. I think alcohol is easy because, hey, you drink it and it does its thing. With other practices (exercise/meditation/etc) you have to put in some up-front work to see the benefits. But I believe you can do anything in 4 to 6 weeks with consistent effort.
RougeFemme 13y ago
Alcohol does help you wind down quickly, but, at least for me, it doesn't help me stay wound down. Even if I have a couple of drinks and then go to sleep, I don't stay asleep very long - a couple of hours at most. And when I wake up, I'm more "wired" than I would be after a typical 2-hour nap. Having said all that, I still enjoy an occasional drink and the "slow" unwind that comes with that. But nothing beats the "lifestyle change".
vittore 13y ago
I'm sober like 9 years in a row. I was not able work so hard and so long hours (often about 80 a week) when i was drinking. Also it is a rip off paying for that Quick and effective relief form booze. stay sober a year and start drinking, you'll learn what I'm saying.

by bitops 13y ago

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

ljf 13y ago

For ages I was in the habit of having a glass of wine of beer each night after work. For me it all changed when I started cycling daily. Firstly I started to notice the difference it made to me when I didn't drink each evening when I got home, on a 14mile each way ride it would take me at least an extra 5 minutes each way after just one or two beers the night before. Then in time I found the bike ride alone was all I needed to unwind. I still drink socially, but I'm planning on cutting even that back lately.

a8da6b0c91d 13y ago
Beer absolutely kills me. I don't think it did when I was younger, but now two or three beers will get me slaughtered on the racquetball court the next day and leave me mentally slow. But it's just beer and all the various crap in it. Liquor is fine.
exit 13y ago
if 5 minutes is a signal, how wide is your normal variation interval?
- ljf 13y ago
  It was a 14 mile journey that usually took between 50 and 55 mins, but only 55 when I was in bad traffic, after stopping weekday beers I got down to 45 on a far more regular basis, sometimes breaking that barrier. I have my data from the old Nokia Sports Tracker site somewhere I'm sure i could dig through. As I left at a set time and had to be at work at a set time I had to push myself to make the time up, it just became easier (or harder) based on my drinking the night before. Even single pint was and is noticeable. These days I have a 10 mile commute that take 30 on a perfect cycle in, 35 on a slow day and 40 when I've not been eating enough carbs at the right times. But I'm much better at planning my meals now. For me cycling is an amazing way to start and end the day, just thinking about the road and making my Strava segments as quickly and safely as I can. Find me as liamjford on Strava if you use that.
te_chris 13y ago
Absolutely this. I got back into competitive swimming (masters level, nothing too serious) and suddenly my training sessions were real workouts, not the laziness I do when I'm by myself. I actively try and avoid alcohol during the week as it just make training worse.

Dewie 13y ago

I wonder if maybe meditation could serve as a fast unwind, in the long term.

bitops 13y ago
I absolutely think meditation could serve as a way to unwind, in any term.
homosaur 13y ago
It DEFINITELY can, but like with exercise, it's all about training and practice. Experienced meditators can usually get to where they're trying to get in a matter of minutes.
- Dewie 13y ago
  I've used brainwave entrainment before, and one of the supposed benefits of that is that you're supposed to more easily enter a meditative state when using it. The long-term goal is to meditate with the aid of brainwave entrainment, and eventually be able to get into the same 'state of mind' independent of brainwave entrainment (but your training is supposed to have let you enter that state faster than if you would have practiced meditation without brainwave entrainment).
mbrock 13y ago
Meditation is also a practice of continuous "unwinding," or staying clear of being "wound up." You could make a decent case for summarizing Buddhist philosophy in this way: regular life is stressful, the source of stress is being wound up, and it's possible to practice not being wound up, through specific techniques including meditation. (That's a somewhat customized translation of the so called "four noble truths.") One of the techniques involved in Buddhist practice, incidentally, is abstaining from habitual use of alcohol and other intoxicants. People have been experimenting with these kinds of life hacks for a long time...
- Dewie 13y ago
  When studying I usually take a 15 minute break for each 45 minutes of studying, or 30 minute for every 90 minutes of studying. Instead of browsing websites and such I also sometimes try to do some stretches or pushups - mainly to get a break from the computer screen and engage my body, since a little activity picks me up a little bit. Lately I've considered trying to sometimes meditate in the breaks. With the pushups I try to get away from reading and thinking too much, and by meditating I hope to disengage my mind even more so that I can return to studying or working more refreshed. This also ties in with using meditation as a quick way to relax, and unlike with booze I can get back to whatever I was doing quickly.

nrivadeneira 13y ago

I find that a hardcore workout works even better than alcohol. Not only do you get the same winding down effect in a short period of time (assuming you're really killing yourself and working to exhaustion in the gym), but you get a lot of additional benefits along with it: better focus, improved health, boosted confidence, and improved body composition. You wake up the next morning feeling a lot better about yourself. My experience with alcohol is often the opposite.

bitops 13y ago
Definitely - I've started practicing aikido 3 times a week, for at least an hour each time I go (I worked my way up to it). I usually go to the dojo for 2 1/2 hours, but not always. It's done more for my physical and mental well-being than any other type of exercise. Practicing Qi Gong in the mornings before leaving the house has also helped. Generally speaking, I think practicing martial arts is a good thing for technical people to do. It gets you out of your head and into a feeling space. And, there are many interesting parallels between the learning process in martial arts and in programming.
- nrivadeneira 13y ago
  That's exactly how I feel about powerlifting. Once you get to a certain level, the attention to detail, specificity, and focus you need to progress are great analogues to other areas such as programming or entrepreneurship. It's become my personal meditation time where I disconnect from everything else and focus intensely on optimization and improvement. If anyone is interested, this book has given me a vastly different perspective on things like exercise (or in parent's case, martial arts): http://www.amazon.com/Mastery-Keys-Success-Long-Term-Fulfillment/dp/0452267560 http://www.amazon.com/Mastery-Keys-Success-Long-Term-Fulfill... When put in that perspective, I think exercise would greatly appeal to most hackers.
  - jborden13 13y ago
    I want to tack on cycling to this. I can't count the number of times I've wanted to solve all of the world's problems at the beginning of a bike ride. And the result is always the same. The primary problem that I end up solving is 'how the hell do I move myself over the next 60+ miles without blowing up and getting dropped by the pack.' And not falling - not falling is key. Dodging cars, cyclists, potholes, cracks, animals, gravel, basically anything that can ruin your ride, becomes a major focus. Then after you finish the ride, you are on a physical high from the exertion and a mental high from getting to take a break from your petty little problems. Man I want to go ride now...

colbyh 13y ago

Having never been a drinker (well, tried a bit as a kid but quickly realized it wasn't my thing) it wasn't until the last couple of years that I started to understand why people drink. Being in the early stages of a new company and wanting/needing to work insane hours is all fine and good but after a while of not being able to easily detach it's easy to find yourself being overly anxious and distant. Like, clinically so. That being said, some people can use alcohol recreationally and some are more or less destined to use it as a crutch. I'm certainly in the latter category.

bitops 13y ago
> some are more or less destined to use it as a crutch. I'm certainly in the latter category. I don't think that has to be true - you just need to find something else that unwinds you. I think alcohol is easy because, hey, you drink it and it does its thing. With other practices (exercise/meditation/etc) you have to put in some up-front work to see the benefits. But I believe you can do anything in 4 to 6 weeks with consistent effort.

RougeFemme 13y ago

Alcohol does help you wind down quickly, but, at least for me, it doesn't help me stay wound down. Even if I have a couple of drinks and then go to sleep, I don't stay asleep very long - a couple of hours at most. And when I wake up, I'm more "wired" than I would be after a typical 2-hour nap. Having said all that, I still enjoy an occasional drink and the "slow" unwind that comes with that. But nothing beats the "lifestyle change".

vittore 13y ago

I'm sober like 9 years in a row. I was not able work so hard and so long hours (often about 80 a week) when i was drinking. Also it is a rip off paying for that Quick and effective relief form booze. stay sober a year and start drinking, you'll learn what I'm saying.