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pessimizeryesterday at 5:47 PM5 repliesview on HN

Daydreaming and singing to yourself is not entertaining. It's just something that an unstimulated brain does. To get to that destimulated place is the object imo - where what you're doing is so habitual that every step seems like a breath, and you only notice the ones you miss.

I remember before I learned the basics of cooking how hard everything was, and how much I had to concentrate. These days I'll spend 20 minutes cooking something, plate it and go to the bathroom, and have forgotten what I cooked before seeing it again. I remember when I was learning Spanish, and every successful paragraph I read merited a celebration, and now I sometimes can't remember whether something I read was in Spanish or English an hour after I've read it.

My biggest improvement in writing came after I stopped listening to music while doing it. Get it over with, then listen to music. Once you get into the habit, it's like taking a nap not having a party. I remember a factory I worked at in my 20s where I got up to doing 76 hour weeks with no days off because I was so good at what I was doing, I entered a timeless place. There was no time to get bored in. I'm sure I might have hummed, but I wouldn't remember. I certainly wasn't thinking about anything important; those machines could have ripped my hands off.


Replies

coldteatoday at 12:12 AM

>Daydreaming and singing to yourself is not entertaining. It's just something that an unstimulated brain does.

That's not even remotely true. People also do it for entertainment and are entertained when they do it, like all the time.

kaashifyesterday at 6:57 PM

I think singing is fun.

I've never worked 76 hour weeks though.

HeatrayEnjoyeryesterday at 6:49 PM

>Daydreaming and singing to yourself is not entertaining.

This is such a case study of a HN comment.

show 2 replies
hn_acc1yesterday at 10:18 PM

I've never been able to write (code or prose) while listening to music. I get too distracted.

OTOH, watching a TV show (or listening to music) really helps with exercising (both starting, and pushing myself).

YMM (and probably does) V.

jamiek88yesterday at 11:43 PM

> Daydreaming and singing to yourself is not entertaining

Wow. I couldn’t disagree more daydreaming for me is very powerful and actually too entertaining.

I can space out on a ten hour flight literally only daydreaming, no media needed.

(Although now I at least hold an iPad as a few people have remarked upon how creepy it is me starting into space hahaha.)

It’s my favorite activity and actually a bit maladaptive.