[neaanopri]

I'd almost say high concept books pair better with blue collar work. I'm mentally exhausted after a day of meetings or programming, but if I'm doing manual labor I end up physically exhausted, not mentally exhausted

[pinkmuffinere]

+1, very much in the tradition of “we want what we can’t have” and “a change is as good as a rest”

[jajko]

An age old wisdom - if you work manually, rest via mental efforts, and vice versa. For most HNers it means do tons of sweat inducing efforts, often, so mind can rest a bit and do some defragmentation, not leaving everything only for sleep.

[creer]

A great illustration of what "not toxic" means. For you manual labor seems fine as a day job. (While for other people it might be the opposite.)