
Ask HN: Do you have an optimal time allocation for cognitively draining tasks? - wallace_f
Naturally I fall into a trap of cognitively inefficient behavior that I guess most people do: I work too long, and then I spend too much time consuming news feeds and comments, or playing video games.<p>I realize I need to better understand how to give myself better rest periods, better leisure time, and more-focused work periods.
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badpun
I suck at this too. I force myself to take out long walks (luckily, Spring is
just starting around here, which means that they'll become pleasant again!)
just to clear my head and unplug for 2 hours.

Other than that, my conclusion is that I have maybe 25 hours of focused work
per week in me. Maybe if I did absolutely nothing else in life (i.e. literally
lie in bed and stare at ceiling when not working), my mental capabilities
would regenerate faster and thus I could work more, but what is the point of a
life like this.

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otras
It’s tangentially related, but I highly recommend the Coursera course
_Learning How To Learn_ for more insight into how your brain works. The course
discusses procrastination and how to work with it.

Specifically, I’d recommend pomodoros, sleep, exercise, and the balance
between focus and diffuse mode. The latter could be something as simple as
taking an hour walk to let your brain process in the background, and I’ve
found that all four are helpful.

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tmaly
I have struggled in the past with making progress on draining tasks.

I have takes a slightly different approach.

I try to get a little bit of time in on my top long term goals on a more
regular basis.

I am using mini habits method to overcome lack of motivation or other barriers
my brain puts up.

See [https://tysonmaly.com/books/how-to-make-habits-the-easy-
way/](https://tysonmaly.com/books/how-to-make-habits-the-easy-way/)

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dmitripopov
Have you tried pomodoro?

