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The quiet art of attention

(billwear.github.io)
865 points billwear | 6 comments | 13 Oct 24 15:01 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source | bottom
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vonnik ◴[13 Oct 24 16:53 UTC] No.41829523[source]▶
Cognitive control is one of the most important issues of our era, IMHO:

https://vonnik.substack.com/p/how-to-take-your-brain-back

There are many techniques to increase our CC. The ADHD community is a trailblazer in this respect.

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1. YossarianFrPrez ◴[13 Oct 24 17:27 UTC] No.41829800[source]▶
I used to think that once I started browsing the internet, it was time for a break. One technique I've implemented, which I haven't seen mentioned is "walking pomodoro technique": for every 25 minutes of work, I get up and take a brisk 5-min walk (or lately, a jog) and come back. One of the most surprising things is that by mandating my own breaks, I browse the internet a lot less.
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2. greggyb ◴[13 Oct 24 17:48 UTC] No.41829968[source]▶
I suffer from RSI and definitely do not move enough when I am invested in some piece of work (personal or professional). I recently installed workrave[0] and have noticed marked improvements in just a couple weeks of actually taking breaks when it indicates.

I take a 25 second break every 5 minutes, and use this time to do one hand and wrist exercise (I keep some resistance bands and hand exercise balls at the desk). I take a 5 minute break every 25 minutes. I will either do some stretches, or a quick chore (e.g. vacuum one room).

https://workrave.org/

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3. TomK32 ◴[14 Oct 24 10:16 UTC] No.41836056[source]▶
I tried Pomodoro more than once, but so far always failed. I guess I have to follow Russel Barlkeys advice to externalize the internal and replace the Pomodoro app with a physical timer that sits on my desk with sad eyes when I don't use it for more than a day.
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4. guerrilla ◴[14 Oct 24 10:34 UTC] No.41836162[source]▶
How did you fail?

I failed at first by either not setting the time or igoring it, but just kept trying to come back to it more and more. Eventually I stuck to it and then it became a habit. I even do it in the evenings now so that I don't sit too long or get overstimulated but that's a bit harder to stick to consistently.

5. guerrilla ◴[14 Oct 24 10:38 UTC] No.41836200[source]▶
This microbreaks idea is something I've come to myself. I noticed that when reading very difficult stuff (serious math or complex APIs) then I get to that point where I repeatedly read the same sentence over and over again. I realized that at that point I should be taking a break even before my usual 25 minutes is up. Maybe you 25s/5m would help me. I like the numerical aesthetics.

It seems I wrote my own keycounter for RSI last year but I never added timers/lockouts. I'll have a look at this workrave. Thanks.

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6. greggyb ◴[14 Oct 24 16:03 UTC] No.41838815{3}[source]▶
I have some graduated resistance hand exercise balls and bands for various exercise (different variations on squeezing, mobility, and extending fingers). I stare out the window at things far away while doing hand exercises.

I did pick the times because of the symmetry of the numbers (: