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Author Topic: When do you take a break? (when you don't have a schedule?)  (Read 5948 times)

Paul Keith

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Ok...

I said I won't make a new GOE thread but this has been troubling me and it seems it's much easier to ask coders who probably had to deal with this than people who are in control of their schedules. (or even people who rely on fixed schedules to make themselves productive)

Rest by itself is always a fuzzy thing but that's really in the same realm as procrastination. Big problem but too large for the scope of this thread.

Lately, my most annoying problem is the balance between push and break.

I sleep enough. (maybe too much even)

I wake up.

I do stuff.

Yada yada...

Routine enough.

When I encounter a problem though. (Like I'm currently having a problem tackling a blog post) That's really where I start wondering.

It's not really writer's block but writer's annoyance. I get to a certain point where I'm just bored at doing this and my writing becomes routine (even rude) and I don't know if I should push through because I'm still writing or lay back because rest equals clearer head and better focus.

Don't even get me started with playing games. I feel guilty playing nowadays.

...Yet if I go to sleep, I get too anxious

...Yet if I start to write, I just start clickity clickity clacking

...Yet if I play games, I'm neither resting nor being productive.

I'm not really asking for personal advice for this problem. There's too much of a risk that it goes towards suggesting how productivity system X can alleviate this and the whole topic gets sidetracked.

This is just here in case anyone wants to share their experiences and how they dealt with it when they encountered these issues.

mouser

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Re: When do you take a break? (when you don't have a schedule?)
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2009, 08:34 PM »
i can always find some task around the house that needs doing when i feel the need to procrastinate.

Paul Keith

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Re: When do you take a break? (when you don't have a schedule?)
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2009, 04:51 PM »
No, mouser. This thread is not about procrastination which is why I said:

Rest by itself is always a fuzzy thing but that's really in the same realm as procrastination. Big problem but too large for the scope of this thread.


app103

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Re: When do you take a break? (when you don't have a schedule?)
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2009, 12:17 AM »
Take a walk, alone.

You would be amazed at where your mind goes when your feet are going somewhere. Leave your house and walk about a mile. Then turn around and come back. Don't make any stops along the way, no exact destination or purpose other than to walk. This is not the time to pick up milk or drop off letters in a mailbox. You do not want to be thinking about those things on your walk.

Sometimes when the mind is in a fog of some sort, doing something physical that doesn't require much thinking can set it free. The extra oxygen is good for your brain, too. And the exercise will release endorphins that will improve your mood.

When you come back, you'll be ready to work again, often with fresh ideas you didn't have when you left.

If the weather is bad, then find another repetitive physical activity that doesn't require much thought, like sweeping the floor, washing dishes, scrubbing your tub, etc.

While there are some people that do use these kinds of activities like mouser said, to procrastinate, often when done because your brain is stuck (rather than to avoid a task), it can help fix things and make you more productive instead of less.

40hz

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Re: When do you take a break? (when you don't have a schedule?)
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2009, 01:54 AM »
When?

Anytime I:

  • Can't make any progress with what I'm working on after 20 minutes of focused effort
  • Need to reread something for any reason other than because I didn't adequately understand the subject matter after the first time through
  • Find myself getting noticeably irritated by something I just read in an e-mail or forum posting
  • Catch myself dozing off while reading or looking at something on a screen
  • Am asked to watch a PowerPoint presentation :P


What/Where?

Take a walk, alone.

+1 with that :Thmbsup:

Once around the neighborhood at a semi-brisk pace does it nicely for me - although I'm not adverse to "taking five" to chat with a neighbor should I bump into one.

Note: I'm extremely fortunate to live in a great neighborhood. Real 'old style' New England. (i.e. We all like and watch out for each other - but we do so without any of the nosiness or 'group-think' that plagues some communities.) Just one of the many things I can wake up to each morning and be grateful for. :up:
« Last Edit: October 21, 2009, 12:45 PM by 40hz »

Paul Keith

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Re: When do you take a break? (when you don't have a schedule?)
« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2009, 01:17 PM »
Heh...

Do you guys mind if I copy paste your posts into my blog?