I just decided to join to announce a recent simplification I went through. I relocated from Vallejo to San Leandro (coincidentally, Leo used to live in Vallejo), downsized to only one roommate, and decided to begin working from home more often (I'm an independent web designer to pay the bills). In the moving process, I removed a lot of excess that was in my life. I'm down to only two cars (working on cars is one of my main hobbies, so two is very realistic), and have an entire garage to myself to work on them.
However, the biggest change I've made was my workspace. I used to have a desk with 4 computers on it, all networked nicely together so they shared one keyboard, and a bundle of wires that tangled everywhere. I was tied to my chair and generally ate at my desk. If I had time (I never did, of course) I'd take a break every 20 minutes to walk around and stretch. The desk was littered with energy drink cans and bags of peanuts and M&M;'s, and was a pretty depressing sinkhole in the middle of my living room.
Now my workspace consists of one laptop, my small secluded backyard (surrounded by a pretty wooden fence entangled with vines), a lawn chair, and the sounds of birds and the occasional passing plane (I'm near Oakland Airport). I take my laptop (an IBM t42p with a 9-cell battery, if anyone's interested in specifics) and work in my lawn chair (normally with an earbud in one ear) and work until the battery reaches 10%. Then I go inside, plug it in, and do something else while it charges. I come back to a charged computer, work for another 4-5 hours, and feel like my day is much more complete. It forces a FULL break in my day. I come back refreshed and ready to go.
Strangely enough, this reminds me of training a dog. My mother adopted a race greyhound that absolutely refused to take a bath. She was determined to break that habit, and established a "happy sound". She bought a whistle, and every time she gave him (Surly) a treat or praise, she blew the whistle. After about a week of that, he associated the whistle with good things, and as long as she blew the whistle he loved taking baths. I did the same thing with myself. I get to go out in the fresh air whenever I work, so I look forward to (and enjoy) my work time every day. I've made myself a more productive individual, and become happier in general because of it.
Has anybody else tried something like this? I know my 10-hour workdays feel a lot shorter than 8-hour days used to.
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I'm interested in the specifics of what kind of cars you like to work on :)
I too am a car enthusiast and have two cars just for myself, but that's because one is a hobby, which many people don't really understand.
Although I'm thinking of selling it to start aggressively paying off some bills :(
I too am a car enthusiast and have two cars just for myself, but that's because one is a hobby, which many people don't really understand.
Although I'm thinking of selling it to start aggressively paying off some bills :(
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I'm interested in the specifics of what kind of cars you like to work on :)
I too am a car enthusiast and have two cars just for myself, but that's because one is a hobby, which many people don't really understand.
Although I'm thinking of selling it to start aggressively paying off some bills :(-"adam"
I would definitely suggest selling it, then. Sinkhole hobbies are no good when you have debt. Make sure you have a reasonable savings account before taking any project on, and make sure you have the means to complete whatever you start. As much as you may enjoy your project car, you'll always be able to find another.
Personally, I have a 1973 Datsun 240z with a chevy v8 in it, and a 1989 Honda CRX that's getting the cruddy DPFI system ripped out this week and replaced with the much smarter (and more efficient) MPFI system. That should give me a scary-fast project car and a 40mpg+ daily driver. If you're interested in seeing my projects, visit my Madness Shop Manual]. Everything's up there, along with some useful (in my opinion) shop tips.[/url]
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Well the S2000 isn't so much of a project as a topless cruiser and weekend autocrosser. I didn't want to do anything drastic with it until it was paid off. Problem is my DD, the Accord, didn't start this morning, it's got ignition problems... so all of a sudden I'm in need of my second vehicle again.
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Newer Accord? Probably your main relay. You're gonna have to kick the dash, under your headlight knob, way down toward the bottom. You're going for the main relay, and you're basically trying to hit it hard enough to reset itself. Bear in mind the kick-trick is just a temporary solution. 90% of the time, your starter relay is going bad. Luckily they're easy to replace if you don't mind getting upside-down in the driver's seat, but they can be pricey ($100 or more).
The rest of the time, you could be looking at a dead battery, a bad starter motor, a bad ground, a bad neutral safety switch, or any of the other 'standard' won't-start causes.
The rest of the time, you could be looking at a dead battery, a bad starter motor, a bad ground, a bad neutral safety switch, or any of the other 'standard' won't-start causes.
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Welcome! I'm relatively new to ZenHabits myself, and appreciate you sharing your big change. Today my biggest challenge in getting work done is this damn website :P :lol: So many of us work alone and I know I need to keep on task! but I'm also at a crossroads in my life, and trying to figure out good strategies for the above. What I like about your post is that you have forced a routine on yourself. That is what I am so desperately in need of. I start out the day with good intentions, good energy, and the next thing I know I'm cheating, because I'm only accountable to me! So in order to follow-through with my good intentions, I"ll keep this short(ish).
The other thing that strikes me as so positive about your solution is being outdoors. I've found the fact that I need to walk my 2 dogs twice a day helps me keep sane! Once out there in the fresh air, down by the lake usually, all challenges seem manageable, step by step. Even way up here in Canada, the few months of green and lawn chair weather are a tonic that I try to commit to memory for the cold dark days from October to March.
Gotta go!
The other thing that strikes me as so positive about your solution is being outdoors. I've found the fact that I need to walk my 2 dogs twice a day helps me keep sane! Once out there in the fresh air, down by the lake usually, all challenges seem manageable, step by step. Even way up here in Canada, the few months of green and lawn chair weather are a tonic that I try to commit to memory for the cold dark days from October to March.
Gotta go!
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Newer Accord? Probably your main relay. You're gonna have to kick the dash, under your headlight knob, way down toward the bottom. You're going for the main relay, and you're basically trying to hit it hard enough to reset itself. Bear in mind the kick-trick is just a temporary solution. 90% of the time, your starter relay is going bad. Luckily they're easy to replace if you don't mind getting upside-down in the driver's seat, but they can be pricey ($100 or more).
The rest of the time, you could be looking at a dead battery, a bad starter motor, a bad ground, a bad neutral safety switch, or any of the other 'standard' won't-start causes.-"drummingpariah"
It's the starter. Banging on it with a hammer will get it to start again, but I realize that's temporary, so it is sitting in the driveway for now until I can get it fixed.
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Welcome! I'm relatively new to ZenHabits myself, and appreciate you sharing your big change. Today my biggest challenge in getting work done is this damn website :P :lol: So many of us work alone and I know I need to keep on task! but I'm also at a crossroads in my life, and trying to figure out good strategies for the above. What I like about your post is that you have forced a routine on yourself. That is what I am so desperately in need of. I start out the day with good intentions, good energy, and the next thing I know I'm cheating, because I'm only accountable to me! So in order to follow-through with my good intentions, I"ll keep this short(ish).
The other thing that strikes me as so positive about your solution is being outdoors. I've found the fact that I need to walk my 2 dogs twice a day helps me keep sane! Once out there in the fresh air, down by the lake usually, all challenges seem manageable, step by step. Even way up here in Canada, the few months of green and lawn chair weather are a tonic that I try to commit to memory for the cold dark days from October to March.
Gotta go!-"jocelain"
It's great to hear that you're staying so positive about the challenges set before you. Pinpointing problems is often the hardest step in solving them.
I lived in the NorthEast of the US, so I definitely understand what you mean about the cold season being depressing. You may want to try growing a garden indoors. You'd be surprised what a few plants can do for a room. Also, a brisk walk in the cold can be just as relaxing. It just requires more preparation (you'd have to put on some boots, gloves, and a good set of waterproof pants, then a wool hat. Yes, the wool hat is necessary.
Especially when it's snowing out, or has just finished snowing, I often find that a trudging walk through it was just what I needed to relax.
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Remind me about the brisk walk in November! But you are so right. I grew up in North-western Quebec, about 500 miles north of Toronto, so I know COLD! My walk served me well today. Always feels good to take off your shoes and feel the sand on the beach, even when the water is very cold. It's my personal challenge to see how late into the fall I can do it before it's too painful. There's something therapeutic about bare feet and sand (or rocks).
I like the analogy of the dogs getting a "treat" for their good behaviour, training them that something they didn't like becomes fun with a reward! I'm finding with housework (which I hate) that if I focus on the end result (a nice place to come home to, for my son to have his friends in, to do work in, etc.) that it takes on a different feel.
I like your built-in break. I've started dragging my husband on evening dog walks so that he gets an enforced break. Unlike me he's a workaholic! There's something about all of this that tells me that our bodies/minds like cycles. And we need to get in sync with them! That's also part of why winter is so brutal I guess. It's such a change of routine, light, energy. I have two different SADS lights that I use every day from late September on in an effort to battle the blues.I used to have an employer who took a 2-hour nap every day after lunch. Your break is probably comparable in it's effect.
Another random thought (warned you) is that it's probably healthier to be working without all that electrical power tangled in around your feet. I just counted 6 monitors in my husbands' basement office. And there's at least 3 computers in there! Has to be hard to think big thoughts in a basement I suspect. Or maybe that's being unfair. I've rented a space outside the house to work in, up on a third floor with a huge window facing north. The office itself is only 103"x104", but it has high ceilings. Anyway, we all have to find our way around our own challenges.
I have a 2001 ford forcus ztw that I love!
8)
I like the analogy of the dogs getting a "treat" for their good behaviour, training them that something they didn't like becomes fun with a reward! I'm finding with housework (which I hate) that if I focus on the end result (a nice place to come home to, for my son to have his friends in, to do work in, etc.) that it takes on a different feel.
I like your built-in break. I've started dragging my husband on evening dog walks so that he gets an enforced break. Unlike me he's a workaholic! There's something about all of this that tells me that our bodies/minds like cycles. And we need to get in sync with them! That's also part of why winter is so brutal I guess. It's such a change of routine, light, energy. I have two different SADS lights that I use every day from late September on in an effort to battle the blues.I used to have an employer who took a 2-hour nap every day after lunch. Your break is probably comparable in it's effect.
Another random thought (warned you) is that it's probably healthier to be working without all that electrical power tangled in around your feet. I just counted 6 monitors in my husbands' basement office. And there's at least 3 computers in there! Has to be hard to think big thoughts in a basement I suspect. Or maybe that's being unfair. I've rented a space outside the house to work in, up on a third floor with a huge window facing north. The office itself is only 103"x104", but it has high ceilings. Anyway, we all have to find our way around our own challenges.
I have a 2001 ford forcus ztw that I love!
8)
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