Ask HN: How to get more working hours in a day?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13794855

by ggdaaa • 9 years ago

10 14 9 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I usually start work around 8-9 and get a lot done in the morning. But after lunch I can only get maybe 2 hours before I get sleepy and lose motivation around 16. After that I can't concentrate any more.

I'd like to get maybe a few more hours in, but how can I get my brain back to the clear-thinking and speed of the morning ?

greenyoda• 9 years ago

I found that my post-lunch energy level depends a lot on what I eat for lunch. If I eat something heavy, like a burger and fries, it will make me sleepy for the rest of the afternoon. And if I don't get enough sleep the night before, that also makes me sleepy the next afternoon. Also, taking a short walk outside after lunch sometimes helps me regain energy and clear my mind.

bobbba• 9 years ago

I faced a similar situation so I tried meditating for a few minutes in the afternoon and that helped put my mind back in focus.

angelofm• 9 years ago

Well in my experience you cannot really get to the same speed of the morning, you have been working for some hours, your brain is tired its only natural to not be as productive in the afternoon.

As another person pointed out what you eat and how long you slept play a key role in making you feel tired.

Every person is different but what works for me it's diving into my little word, basically try to achieve a level of concentration where whatever you are doing feels magical, I put my headphones in and every little code I write I try to appreciate and feel like I am doing some progress, this has the side effect of making me happy and to enjoy what I am doing.

FullMtlAlcoholc• 9 years ago

You're most like experiencing Postprandial somnolence, commonly called a food coma. If you'd like to avoid the after lunch energy dip, here's a few key pointers:

(1) Do not skip breakfast

(2) Eat more meals in the day, but eat a smaller portion for each meal.

(3)Foods rich in protein and/or salt are more likely to cause sluggishness. Include fruit and vegetables, especially roughage, in as many meals as you can.

(4) Make sure you are sufficiently hydrated

(5) Do something physically active after eating a meal. You can try walking, a 7 minute workout, stretching, pushups, etc. It's best to be just slightly out of breath, but not sweating.

One company that I worked for in the past had a nap room. Since I'd usually stay later at work to avoid traffic, whenever I felt sleepy after lunch, I'd make use of it just take a nap. I was much more focused and productive afterwards. I hate that feeling of fighting to stay awake at work

bigzen• 9 years ago

Alternatively try Intermittent Fasting. Most people do it where you break your fast around 1pm, but for the purposes that OP is discussing, move your eating window to between 5pm and 10pm.

It is admittedly harder at first, but after a week or two your body adapts and you should experience a sustained level of energy throughout the day. Of course this means not eating lunch at work.

telebone_man• 9 years ago

If I feel sleepy in the early/mid afternoon I'll head to the bathroom and have a slow quick wash of the face and neck with a damp cold flannel.

Gets rid of the daily grime etc. and leaves you feeling refreshed.

Followed by a coffee and I've regained my pip.

miguelrochefort• 9 years ago

I work from 8 to 17 every day. I only take one 5-minute break in the entire day.

The trick is the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting. You will save 30-60 minutes every day by not eating lunch, and your energy levels will remain stable all day long. You will also be healthier and perhaps save money (I save $2,500/year by not buying lunch).

Jtsummers• 9 years ago

Automate all the things. The more you have automated, the more you can focus on the actual problems and tasks. You may not get any more total work done (by an hours perspective), but your total labor will be much more effective.

Record all the tasks you need to do, prioritize and track them. Once they're out of your head, like with automation, you're doing more with less. Your mind can focus on the present and not the future, or the past by second-guessing (did I finish X?). I find that being more "present" (in this sense) keeps my motivation going.

Regarding sleepiness, I found that eliminating sodas (as a source of caffeine, still have caffeine but in a twice-a-day cup of espresso and yerba mate) greatly reduced my afternoon sleepiness. Along with general improvements to fitness (running, soccer, BJJ, bodyweight strength/conditioning classes, in my case). Being fitter (less excess fat on my body, able to run for an hour or more without exhaustion) has led to better wakefulness throughout the day (this is a process, initially I was much more tired for the first month or so).

tedmiston• 9 years ago

I've never been much of a soda drinker, but for those seeking a carbonated alternative with less side effects, La Croix flavored sparkling water (can version) is pretty great; it also has no calories, sugar, or sodium.

banterfoil• 9 years ago

I too don't drink soda (havent had one in 5 years or so), but why do you feel that coffee is a better medium for caffeine than soda?

kluck• 9 years ago

That is totally normal, get used to it!

cblanquera• 9 years ago

While I agree with what most posted, also try to analyze your environment. for example, keyboard, mouse vs trackpad, mouse pad, desk space, what's on your desk, dividers vs open office, 1 or 2 monitors, headphones vs earbuds, window vs white walls, slow music vs techno, noise level, personal problems etc. Really investing time in this can definitely create more hours of productivity, and if not, at least your comfortable :) A coworker of mine, brought in a lazy boy from home to the office, but he ends up really productive.

yn37• 9 years ago

Just wrote a quick article about this -- http://claudiu.dragulin.com/2017/03/07/two-simple-tweaks-to-...

The main points are:

1. Pay attention to what you eat. In my case, eliminating potatoes from my lunch had a massive impact on how productive I was afterwards.

2. Pay attention to how much you eat. I noticed that the usual approach of eating until full doesn't serve me well in terms of focus and ability to concentrate afterwards. When I ate slightly less (until I felt about 70-80% full), I had more energy and a more focused mind for the rest of the day.

Of course, these are not hard rules (if they worked for me, they may not work for you). But take them as a rough guide and experiment on your own.

pizza• 9 years ago

Just keep in mind, the wider your work-span throughout the day, the tendency is for the quality of each hour to decrease. Might just be the case that you need to cut some hours, and delegate.

Ask HN: How to get more working hours in a day?

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