Hacks for Low Capability Days
Not going to lie, I’m dragging a bit as I write these words.
My sleep schedule did not align well with my social responsibilities today.
Nevermind that the morning meeting got canceled while I was asleep (grr….)
So I find myself in this unfortunate position of being awake and unrested, but still wanting to do the most with this precious time life has blessed me with.
Even a ‘bad day’ is still a wonderful experience in the greater scheme of things, so I’m not complaining.
I’m writing this article while I wait for my brain to warm up for coding.
Recently a friend shared the idea of having different ‘play books’ for different days.
Another friend introduced me to the idea of dealing with life as a series of unknown events, and focusing on developing strategies rather than plans.
I think both of these ways of dealing with the brutalities of life have merit.
In a way they are saying the same thing in a different way.
There is definitely a rhythm to life and I think it is fruitful to recognize and categorize each day as an X day.
X could be good or bad or just have some particular quality that distinguishes it from the rest.
Traditionally in the US we have had ‘weekdays’ and ‘weekends’ for example.
Life is also unpredictable, but ‘history rhymes’ and one often finds oneself in similar circumstances. One can take advantage of these recognized situations to learn and adapt in the face of chaos.
This leads naturally to habits as a focus for improvement, and the adoption of different habits one might want to adopt, depending on what kind of day one is experiencing.
Or perhaps more of a special focus on certain habits for certain days.
Low Brainpower Day Playbook
As I’m having a ‘low rest’ day and my mental reserves are low, so today I’m focusing more on cleaning habits.
I find that cleaning does not take much brainpower, but does wonders to improve my habitat and general mental health.
So my ‘hack’ for dealing with a ‘low brain energy’ day is to devote more time to those cleaning chores, that I tend to put off naturally when I’m ‘running hot’.
Note that cleaning for me isn’t just a physical activity. It also includes doing those technical chores I often put off such as deleting/organizing things in my digital world.
Life Happens
Machiavelli had an important thing to say about fortune.
I compare her to one of those raging rivers, which when in flood overflows the plains, sweeping away trees and buildings, bearing away the soil from place to place; everything flies before it, all yield to its violence, without being able in any way to withstand it; and yet, though its nature be such, it does not follow therefore that men, when the weather becomes fair, shall not make provision, both with defences and barriers, in such a manner that, rising again, the waters may pass away by canal, and their force be neither so unrestrained nor so dangerous. So it happens with fortune, who shows her power where valour has not prepared to resist her, and thither she turns her forces where she knows that barriers and defences have not been raised to constrain her. -- The Prince
In other words fortune favors the prepared. It is good to work to prepare and improve strategies, and to understand that the future is always uncertain.
It is Better to Take Action vs Remain Idle
It is tempting when life is being cruel to be cautious. To stay in bed. To wait for a more opportune time.
Machiavelli also gave reason as to why it is better to not set back and wait for life and circumstances to change for the better.
For my part I consider that it is better to be adventurous than cautious, because fortune is a woman, and if you wish to keep her under it is necessary to beat and ill-use her; and it is seen that she allows herself to be mastered by the adventurous rather than by those who go to work more coldly. She is, therefore, always, woman-like, a lover of young men, because they are less cautious, more violent, and with more audacity command her. -- The Prince
One can argue with the tact of the metaphor used, but I think the content stands. The vivid metaphor I believe is useful to aid memory, and as a reminder that humans are by nature brutal.
It is good to remember that we are battling with fortune, who does not care if we live or die. It is up to us to take the reins and make changes we wish to see happen. If we take action, fortune is more likely to favor us.
Many Worlds and Survivorship Bias
I take it for granted that the physical basis of the world is at least as weird as the Many Worlds interpretation of physics would lead us to believe. Almost certainly it is weirder than that, but whatever the truth of the matter, it at least has to encompass Many Worlds.
Given that understanding, I think this leads to an additional justification for trying to form good habits, and to be bold in action and not stand idle when one is having an ‘off day’.
There is the me that stayed in bed, or watched youtube this morning, instead of making the effort of writing this article.
Perhaps nature will run both versions.
Which person would you bet on having the brighter future, and so surviving and thriving, and having the longer history?
Those that survive, then have a greater chance of experiencing more, and it is therefore, in a vague hand-wavy sense, more likely that I’ll find myself having such an experience.
It is odd how remarkably lucky each of us is, compared to the odds of us not being here, don’t you think?
I wish my alternate self(s) well, but I find myself happier to be in the timeline where I took action, and worked to improve myself and my circumstances.
Perhaps I’m just biased.
Summary
Actively working on forming good habits, and improving strategies, for dealing with the unexpected nature of life, is rewarding.
One’s day can be categorized, which can lead to one intentionally choosing to focus on using and improving certain habits/strategies for that kind of day.
Fortune favors the bold.
Originally published at https://github.com/matthewjosephtaylor.
