I love working. I love getting shit done. It makes me feel useful and productive. I’m a workaholic. On the one hand, I think that’s an awesome character trait. Others have to force themselves to work. Use silly Pomodoro timers or whatever. I don’t. But recently I’ve started to notice some not so great patterns in my behavior.
I guess workaholism becomes a problem when you start seeing the “enjoy life” activities as tasks to be done. All work is for a purpose. I’m sure there’s other stuff you’d like to work on as well?
Very interesting about IF. Still skipping breakfast, it’s mentally helpful for me. But I’d love to try that at some point.
Could have been my own post in the first paragraphs :)
What I have found out: it takes willpower to engage in "leisure" activities which don't have a specific goal but rather allow my brain to process previous input. I tried sitting on the sofa yesterday. Just sitting, feeling the weight of my limbs on the fabric. To really get to the state of "I'm bored and I'm fine with it, nothing to optimize, just processing". A computer calls this state "idle" and I wondered whether it might be stretched to "ideal". Still working on the stretch though :)
Ah, one thing to add: why do you need to feel "useful"? I would love to read an hour's writing on the answer to that question :)
I guess workaholism becomes a problem when you start seeing the “enjoy life” activities as tasks to be done. All work is for a purpose. I’m sure there’s other stuff you’d like to work on as well?
Very interesting about IF. Still skipping breakfast, it’s mentally helpful for me. But I’d love to try that at some point.
Hey Jakob,
Could have been my own post in the first paragraphs :)
What I have found out: it takes willpower to engage in "leisure" activities which don't have a specific goal but rather allow my brain to process previous input. I tried sitting on the sofa yesterday. Just sitting, feeling the weight of my limbs on the fabric. To really get to the state of "I'm bored and I'm fine with it, nothing to optimize, just processing". A computer calls this state "idle" and I wondered whether it might be stretched to "ideal". Still working on the stretch though :)
Ah, one thing to add: why do you need to feel "useful"? I would love to read an hour's writing on the answer to that question :)