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Ask HN: How do you balance stress, productivity and mindfulness?

by sakerbos on 11/16/23, 10:03 AM with 14 comments

As tech professionals, we often juggle productivity with maintaining mental wellness. I'm working on an app concept, Calmulate*, which aims to address this balance through personalized data-driven insights. But before diving further into development, I'm curious about the community's perspective.

- How do you typically manage stress throughout the day?

- How do you currently manage the interplay between staying productive and mindful?

- Are there specific features or tools you wish existed to make this easier?

I'm also looking for early feedback on the concept. Any insights you can provide would be incredibly valuable.

P.S. “Calmulate” is my take on blending calm with calculate/simulate/elevate. Wifey cringed when she heard it but I love it.

  • by drakonka on 11/17/23, 12:45 PM

    With great difficulty.

    To be honest when I've really got my teeth in a problem I mindlessly power through it until it's solved at the expense of everything else except feeding my cats. Sometimes I just get this feeling like I need to snap out of it for a while and go for a walk or gym or something - and when that happens, I often "magically" solve the problem or get an idea of what to try next during said walk.

    The only thing I am diligent about is sleep. There are _very few problems_ that will prevent me from getting to bed on time. Sometimes I do go to bed at 02.00 after working on something really interesting that I can't stop thinking about, but then I try not to start the next day until 11.00 or noon.

    I do also try to stay on top of my exercise, but this can also fall by the wayside for work. In the long-term, though, I've managed to keep up with gym (mostly lifting) for over ten years. But in the short-term, if I am stuck on a really interesting problem, gym is probably not happening that day.

    I try to balance this by taking it easier when I can afford to, knowing that in the end my tendency is to work too much rather than too little. So when there are quiet moments I try to take them for myself and not worry about feeling lazy or unproductive in those times. This has helped greatly in the times when I can actually manage to do it. It recharges me a bit for the next burst of overwork and single-minded focus I'll feel compelled to put in later.

    I don't think any tools will help me with this. It's purely internal. I know when I am fixated on something at the expense of everything else, so a tool to help me measure the balance or remind me won't help me change the actual habit.

  • by tizio13 on 11/16/23, 2:17 PM

    - Timers and walking. Outside of work add medical pot to the mix.

    - There really is no managing as it’s just a habit at this point. I know my mind and body both need to worked in different ways throughout the day.

    - I don’t think I need any specific tools to help me keep in balance throughout the day. The movement ring on my watch closing is usually enough of a guide / motivator to let me know if I’m on track or not. Having that streak has been a nice easy to achieve goal.

  • by kirkarg on 11/18/23, 5:08 AM

    What I've learned in the past years is: 1) don't focus too much on looking for a balance. Life has too many variables that can't be controlled. This pursuit will give you more headaches . 2) Instead, learn to adapt. You may have weeks of intense work, or life issues, or anything else. Learn to deal with that. Use the tools that you have. In my case is excercise, taking a walk, eat healthy , SLEEP. 3)Don't believe the bull** that you see on the internet about people finding inner peace or balance, that thing doesn't exist for prolonged periods of time. Hence, learning to adapt is the best thing to do.

  • by blotato on 11/16/23, 6:51 PM

    Sleep well. Active outdoors 2x per week. Remind myself "Let others be free" - I can't control how others react or choices they make. Say what I want to say and ask for what I really want.

  • by brudgers on 11/16/23, 4:12 PM

    Worrying about balance would give me n+1 problems.