
Ask HN: How do you stay motivated? - startupflix
I generally get bored while writing couple of codes. I am unable to concentrate. I have deactivated my all social network accounts b&#x2F;c I thought it will help me to stay motivated and focused. But it didn&#x27;t help me.<p>I would love to know what things you do to stay motivated?
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protonimitate
Focus on discipline over motivation.

Here's a quote from Jim Wendler (5/3/1 workout program) I like quite a bit

"Discipline always trumps motivation. Motivation is about emotion and too many
times, we rely on emotion to raise our performance. Unfortunately, this can
quickly wear you down and if you aren't motivated, lead to lackluster or
missed training sessions.

Discipline doesn't care how you feel, what the weather is or if you've had a
bad day. Discipline will carry the strong. Discipline will drive success.
Discipline doesn't need a "hype" video or loud music."

If you are having trouble, start small. I got into the habit of making my bed
every single day before anything else. Once I built that habit I started
applying that to other things, and now I hardly think about it at all.

Take the emotion out of getting stuff done. Also keep hydrated and well
rested. It's amazing what proper sleep and being hydrated will do for focus.

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inertiatic
I can occasionally procrastinate heavily.

I will procrastinate when what I need to do is hard (requires too much
effort), when it is too easy, or when there is too much uncertainty involved
(worst out of the three).

So personally instead of trying to combat the symptoms with techniques like
forced breaks or powering through any urge to do something else, I try to
address the causes by taking up appropriate tasks or breaking them down
sufficiently.

~~~
startupflix
Due to this I am surrounded with lots of incomplete works. :(

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ak39
Keep a book as your journal. I use a hardcover school exercise book to keep
track of my projects with sub-items for features, bug fixes etc. It's also a
doodle book.

I note dates when I think of an idea, or when I begin coding them, the reasons
for the choice of tools and of general progress. Whenever I feel
exhausted/bored or completely disillusioned by anything I'm currently working
on, I leave it, I walk away from it. But I make sure I write down my reasons
for choosing to leave the work and, most importantly, my emotional state
around that decision. I journal as I think.

Many days later, sometimes years, I simply read my journal, paging though and
recollecting my thoughts and emotional states. Many times I have found that
things have changed in the intervening time such as my workload, improved
skills, better understanding of the problem domain, or general state of
energy. Many times I have resumed abandoned projects/features to completion.

Good luck!

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gt2
By doing 1 task at a time until it's finished.

And only doing tasks which are planned with visibility, which give them
meaning to myself or someone else.

Otherwise you are just playing around and may as well be playing the piano or
working on your tan, or learning a new framework (some hobby, pick one that
applies).

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coffee-person
I recommend prioritizing mental health over productivity. Give yourself time
to figure out your problems when possible. Take a lunch break outside the
office if you're allowed. Sleep for 9 hours when you can. Be nice to others
when they're struggling. You're always going to get unmotivated sometimes,
just try again the next day.

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DoreenMichele
Take a break every hour and walk around.

Have a snack and drink, possibly with caffeine.

Clean your desk and keyboard to within an inch of its life.

Work on your sleep hygiene and general health.

~~~
startupflix
Thank you, I generally takes smaller breaks, I drink lots of coffee too. I am
also taking proper sleep. But the thing is that I am not able to concentrate.
If I see some motivational videos, it helps me to stay motivated but when I
try to write codes I start yawning and my mind shift to some other works.

~~~
gt2
Break down your work to the smallest action.

Some people can go mad scientist/prolific hacker and work without a list, more
power to them. You need a list.

To start, Even smaller items than normal (open text editor, start server, open
first file needed, add first interface item if UI, add first Model property,
add first function).

You are making progress with each item you knock off, that is a fact.

There is no time for the mind to wander when you need to just knock off the
next small item.

You do it and then you can do what you want -- but your mind will probably
want another dopamine hit of knocking something off. So you will do another
item.

Once you can do the extremely small items, add actual features (or parts of
them) to the list. Because now you can handle the small stuff. Now you are
where people work. They usually work in sprints of a small list of tasks.

..

Your mind is probably wandering because of indecision. Take the decisions out
of the process for now by breaking down the task.

Important: items on the list should include real decisions to make
(architectural, strategy of something, etc).

The result of those tasks will probably result in adding new items to your
list.

Good luck!

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mabynogy
How many hours hours of programming can you do? For me, it's aroud 4 hours
(sometimes 6). Programming is hard and needs a huge amount of concentration.

