Comment by standardUser
2 days ago
Maybe someone can relate to me on this...
> With this new system, I haven't missed tracking my habits even once.
When I'm in a productive era like that it mostly feels amazing. But it also comes with this looming threat that it can't go on like that forever. The feeling that maintaining such a high standard will only lead to a big fall once something inevitably disrupts the system. It also creates a sense of burden because by being so 'active' in the world, people come to expect you to remain active. And many of the tasks you've completed lead to more tasks that wouldn't exist if you had just stayed lazy.
This, combined with the realization that I can get away with doing almost nothing productive as long as I have a job, has made it hard for me to even want to be productive.
You've put into words beautifully one of my main argument against getting a job.
I have a better one though: a job leaves almost no time or energy for actual work.
For me, a stable job is key. The structure and accountability makes it hard to fail, and my (relative) lack of ambition ensures I don't over-commit or stress too much over work. It's everything else that I get lazy about! I have plenty of time, but it's too easy to do fun but unproductive activities.
If something doesn't trigger my "oh no, this will lead to more responsibility" alarms, I can be very productive. For example, I love to plan a trip, because it has a discrete start and end and is entirely within my control.
What's your alternative solution for paying rent / getting food?
Not having a job feels like a good option if you can select into it but the barrier is high for me
Are you happy?
If so, don't change anything.
Otherwise, if the lack of doing anything productive is bothering you, search for work that
1. seems meaningful to you, 2. has enjoyable aspects to it (no job will be fun all the time), 3. renumerates you sufficiently to meet your current standard of living or at least a standard of living you can accept.
THEN you will have the sufficient motivation to be productive where looking for a system that helps you be productive could be useful.
Alternatively, there's always entrepreneurship, depending on your appetite for risk and stress.
I find any system I create works really well because it's exciting and interesting, and then I get bored of the system, and it becomes ineffective.
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