habbit-building.txt Notes from the last few habbit building attempts
Original Author: Sahil Gautam <printfdebugging@gmail.com>
Homepage: <https://printfdebugging.in/>
License: GNU GPL v2
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CONTENTS
1. Where it Started where-it-started
2. Understanding the Problem understanding-the-problem
3. Instincts and Default Answers default-answers
4. Small Steps that Go a Long Way small-steps-long-way
5. Avoid Normalization of Bad Habbits avoid-normalization-of-bad-habbits
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Where it Started where-it-started
- used videos, sleeping, chocolates as an escape from bad roommates
- the college wasn't helping in any way, they are just IT employee pimps
- got confused by different philosophies, lost will, pride and the balls
- felt the problem as i started interning at allotropia, logs were short
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Understanding the Problem understanding-the-problem
- ignored my sleep cycle and health, lost the battle then and there
- rushed through everything not letting it flower, expecting things today
- started living in the past and future, away form the present or what is
- made and pretended to follow extremely impractical plans even for pros
- talking about the plans didn't really help, it divided the focus
- gave too much importance to thoughts, was fighting myself in the head
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Instincts and Default Answers default-answers
instincts are quite convenient! they have answers to everything. they
become hyper active when one is confused or bored. it's really important
to be attentive at all times and see these instinctual answers for what
they are and only then take action.
a confused mind always asks what should i do, and the answer is almost
always instinctual and instant. when there is a deep understanding of the
problem and the situation you are in, then there is this release of
intelligence which knows what's the next thing to do. so be careful when
you find this question lurking around in your head.
instincts make one consume and flee, and that is never a solution to any
problem, it makes it worse! so whenever there is this urge to consume or
flee from some situation, collect yourself and sit quitely for a minute or
two and then understand the situation seriously. and then you would know
what to do.
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Small Steps that Go a Long Way small-steps-long-way
sleeping and waking up early at 4:00 with ~7h sleep starts the day on a
nice note. then when one feels sleepy during the day, they know that this
is not because of being "sleep deprived", but rather something which one
can ignore.
having sane plans and expectations is very important. one must not have
too much on their plate. having some empty space on the plate is very
important. the plans shouldn't add any mental overhead, some kind of hurry
to the work, but rather should help make it feel like a leasure activity.
minimizing distractions helps with getting into the zone, but don't be
too greedy to be in the zone all the time, it comes on it's own and runs
away the moment you notice it, or start chasing it.
showing up for daily meetings is another way to keep things in check, to
know whether one is on the right track. this is important as sometimes the
solution is to ask about the problem, and who knows if it's a problem
even.
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Avoid Normalization of Bad Habbits avoid-normalization-of-bad-habbits
back when i used to live with my parents, they always reminded me that
"packed" foods/snacks are bad/garbage and one should avoid it as much as
they can. i still ate stuff every now and then, but it wasn't something
normal.
then i came to college and i saw that my roommates ate a lot of these
packed foods, i thought "oh it's normal to do so", and started eating such
foods. over time i gained a lot of weight and lost quite some muscle mass.
so after three years into the college, i learnt that i need to protect
myself from others so that i don't "normalize abnormal behaviours". this
won't change my behaviour towards my peers but i will keep my guard up to
not fall into bad habbits thinking "it is normal".
most of these start as "what's the harm in doing it once". doing it once
increases chances of you doing it the second time, then more likely the
third time, and forth time.... "if it's not a good thing just don't do it"
same applies to avoiding bad habbits, if you can avoid it once, you will
have better chances of avoiding it the next time, and the next time... the
temptation/craving would stop bothering you after a point.
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