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by jrc2022 1579 days ago
Putting on your shoes is the hardest part of going on a walk/run. The next hardest is stepping out the door. Sometimes you just have to turn off your brain and "subconsciously" do it without thinking about it. Or just straight up lie to yourself. "I'm only putting on my shoes. I'm only going outside. I'm only walking to the end of the street."

Set a timer for 5 minutes and stare at what you want to do. Don't do anything but stare and unfocus. For me that's switching to the IDE and looking at whatever code is loaded. I don't read it, I just stare for 5 mins. More times than not, before the 5 mins is up I've start working.

There's also acceptance that when you start anything, it's a slog. You need to "wade thorough sewage to get to clear water".

Change Your Brain: Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwQhKFMxmDY
2 comments
maze_roller 1579 days ago
Well this is some new idea, I have never come across this. However, how do you suggest I even make the first step towards opening an IDE and looking at it. Right now, thinking about it, seems like a drag. Just like in the putting on the shoes analogy. It is hard to even get myself to that stage at times, it is like battling an uphill boulder moving race.
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webmobdev 1579 days ago
Change your perspective from "I am not motivated" to "I need to act to be motivated". Action is the fuel that ignites motivation. That's why breaking down big things to small steps often works against procrastination.
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8note 1579 days ago
First, turn on your computer and sit at your desk. Step by step
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dave4420 1579 days ago
Only switch your computer off when you go on holiday. Put it to sleep otherwise. Keep your IDE open at all times. Have it auto start when your computer boots up.
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nnoitra 1579 days ago
Lol this is not true. Putting on shoes is not the hardest part of going for a run in the same way that sitting on a chair is not the hardest part about studying linear algebra.

Deep work requires deep focus which is itself taxing and of which we have finite amount of. Can't get more of it by just "sitting and staring".

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