zantax

Todo list primarily. Striking things off a piece of paper is oddly satisfying.

I basically break down my tasks into stuff that can be done in a few hours.

I'll add to that by saying being alone for long stretches of time is fertile ground for negativity. The mind craves narratives and drama, especially when grinding away on what can seem like monotonous work.

My advice: cut yourself some slack Andrew. Understand that your mind is just creating stories (again) and dismiss them. Sometimes I will even smile at how infantile my thoughts can be.

But yes, I get cabin fever bigtime (I work alone a lot) and sometimes I have to get out, even if there are a thousand excuses not to.

Take care.

I used to think and strategize about code while working full-time in a factory. If you get a job that's not mentally demanding, you can do that, and be ready to code when you get home.