[gamerDude]

This makes me think of optimization problems around creating a life of productivity. Sometimes what seems to be an improvement just leads to suboptimal local optimizations. If you want to optimize, you really need to plan and look for all options as opposed to just taking a step in what looks like the right direction.

For instance, going for fast food over learning to cook some basic meals. If you are trying to optimize for price, buying pre-made meals is so much more expensive than learning to cook some basic meals and buying the ingredients. I probably eat on about 5-10 dollars a day because I buy in bulk and I make everything. I could definitely reduce that price too.

And on working out, there are studies that working out actually gets you better focus and productivity gains for hours after you're done. So, the phrase shouldn't be "I'm too busy to work out", it should be "I'm too busy to not work out".

And luckily both of those solutions also help with your long-term health and well-being.

[aianus]

> If you are trying to optimize for price, buying pre-made meals is so much more expensive than learning to cook some basic meals and buying the ingredients.

Depends how much you make. It takes me less than 15 minutes billable minutes to earn a healthy takeout lunch. It would definitely take longer than 15 minutes to cook/clean/buy groceries not to mention I enjoy my job a lot more than food preparation.

[qsymmachus]

> And on working out, there are studies that working out actually gets you better focus and productivity gains for hours after you're done.

"You should do X because it will make you more productive" – this kind of rhetoric, while not incorrect, misses the point. Productivity is not the measure of all things. You should exercise because it makes you happy and healthy.

[thirdtruck]

I agree on every point. Another great example: maxing out your skills at the first job you get out of college (say, barista) instead of taking time out to move into a whole different tier of career.