What To Eat & Drink When Needing To Force Yourself to do Boring Work

by nik0 Banned
40 replies
When I have boring work to do like sourcing 150 hosting companies and comparing them based on price and some options, I really see up against it and often I spread it out over days, sometimes even weeks.

But I just found that when I eat a lot of meat (actually only meat), good meat, and drink Coke, I have the strength and power to finish the whole job in just one day!

Been doing this all week long and am unstoppable

Just try it!

ps: 5/10 minutes WF break is recommendable as well but don't stick too long!
#boring #drink #eat #force #needing #work
  • Profile picture of the author Jan Brzeski
    My favourite strategy:

    1. Take a powerful pre-workout
    2. Hit the gym and kill a workout
    3. Eat some 'light' food afterwards, such as a salad with grilled chicken etc.
    4. Grab a coffee
    5. Start work

    You're now physically tired (so you don't mind doing something boring and sitting for a longer while).

    You now have a 'clear mind' thanks to the workout at the gym and the coffee you just drank. This allows you to work very effectively.

    That's what I do. Wondering what others do

    Cheers!

    PS. When you're doing something that doesn't require a ton of concentration, blare some music! My favourites while working include trance and dubstep.
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    • Profile picture of the author nik0
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Jan Brzeski View Post

      My favourite strategy:

      1. Take a powerful pre-workout
      2. Hit the gym and kill a workout
      3. Eat some 'light' food afterwards, such as a salad with grilled chicken etc.
      4. Grab a coffee
      5. Start work

      You're now physically tired (so you don't mind doing something boring and sitting for a longer while).

      You now have a 'clear mind' thanks to the workout at the gym and the coffee you just drank. This allows you to work very effectively.

      That's what I do. Wondering what others do

      Cheers!

      PS. When you're doing something that doesn't require a ton of concentration, blare some music! My favourites while working include trance and dubstep.
      Guess everyone is different, that wouldn't work for me, would result me in saying "**** it, and start to watch a movie or something". I need to be energetic to finish the boring tasks.
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    • Profile picture of the author Karol Z
      Originally Posted by Jan Brzeski View Post

      My favourite strategy:

      1. Take a powerful pre-workout
      2. Hit the gym and kill a workout
      3. Eat some 'light' food afterwards, such as a salad with grilled chicken etc.
      4. Grab a coffee
      5. Start work
      Not so sure going to the gym prior to doing your work is a good idea depending on how hard you work. I'm personally dysfunctional after the gym and can only think about sleeping.
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  • Profile picture of the author vinness
    Maybe because coke contains sugar that somehow perks up your mood? I must admit, coke also makes me write well and also with coffee.
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  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    caffeine is NOT the best way to get you going because the sugar and other ingredients can cause ill health....diabetes for example. Find better methods to help you work. Take a break if you need a rest and then go back and you'll find that you can work more efficiently.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jan Brzeski
      Originally Posted by laurencewins View Post

      caffeine is NOT the best way to get you going because the sugar and other ingredients can cause ill health....diabetes for example. Find better methods to help you work. Take a break if you need a rest and then go back and you'll find that you can work more efficiently.
      No one's saying you need sugar with coffee

      But it's true that relying only on caffeine is not a great idea.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeffery Moss
      If you go in thinking how the work is boring, then of course, you will be bored and want to quit. You have to find something you like about what you are doing as the end result could earn you more money.

      Originally Posted by laurencewins View Post

      caffeine is NOT the best way to get you going because the sugar and other ingredients can cause ill health....diabetes for example. Find better methods to help you work. Take a break if you need a rest and then go back and you'll find that you can work more efficiently.
      And, for some people, the sugar can cause a crash that leads to a feeling of sluggishness which is the opposite of what you want when you need to be creative or productive with work.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dain Supero
    You can switch to an organic diet with 60%+ greens and also take a greens supplement like Greens+.

    By doing this you will be in optimal mental health and have much better focus than you will with stimulants.

    Avoid caffeine. You don't need it for anything. Physical or mental.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dain Supero
    You can switch to an organic diet with 60%+ greens and also take a greens supplement like Greens+.

    By doing this you will be in optimal mental health and have much better focus than you will with stimulants.

    Avoid caffeine. You don't need it for anything. Physical or mental.
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    Visit http://www.bettermindbodyself.com for proven advice and techniques to elevate your mind, body, and self-image.

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    • Profile picture of the author heavysm
      I typically take Neuro1 or Focusxt which are both concentration drink mixes (google them).

      They work pretty well to boost alertness, memory and focus for 3 - 6 hours apiece.

      But IF you're not willing to consume anything there's always BrainSync sound tracks. When I'm reading I listen to HighFocus (it's only like $9 on their site) and I am alert and attentive for as long as I have it playing.

      I only use this stuff for mundane work like writing hyper long research papers for school i have no interest in or working on some part of my business I don't want to outsource lol
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  • Profile picture of the author lordspace
    I just listened to an audiobook in which the author kept recommending rewarding yourself after doing some task. Also using pomodoro should help as well.

    As a programmer I'd recommending talking to your tech savvy friends and challenge them to come up with a program that will crawl of those 150 sites and extract your data. Then you can go through a text file or an excel file.
    This would be helpful if you'll be doing that task many times.

    Slavi
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    • Profile picture of the author TJoseph
      Go lock yourself in a quiet room where you can be alone and take a short 15 min nap!

      Or better yet you could sit still and meditate, visualizing your end goal or dream vacation or driving down the highway in your hot ride

      If that doesn't work ask yourself why the heck you need to be inspired to do something you clearly hate!
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  • Profile picture of the author Ryan Lindner
    Know yourself.

    I know that I am not a morning person, so expecting myself to work at 530am is setting myself up for failure. I also don't work well in the evening (dinner time).

    So after a good night's rest and a slow morning I am ready to rock. I've worked with many who had the best intentions, but had unrealistic expectations about how they work best.

    Some people can work 5-8 hours straight no problem. Not me. I focus like a laser for an hour or so, break, then focus like a laser again.

    But just forcing yourself through it and being tired is a sure-fire way to do nothing well.

    1. Work WHEN you work best!
    2. Only work when you feel good (enough rest), or else the time is wasted.
    3. Work offline if you can, or try to minimize distractions (i.e., Yahoo!) so you can get in "the zone."
    4. Work in spurts, breaking up monotony with a quick walk or power nap (although power naps are not the best for me because it takes longer to get back into "the zone")
    5. Have a concrete plan (know what you are about to do). If you have time, but no plan, you'll waste gobs of it surfing the net ;-)
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  • Profile picture of the author C G
    Great thread with awesome tips

    When i need to do some boring stuff (which is rare).. I usually listen to some epic music to pump me up and keep me going.

    Cheers,

    C.G.
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  • Profile picture of the author talfighel
    You want to take more breaks in between your work day. You should work for 30 minutes then take a break.

    If you get tired and want to sleep, I would drink more coffee.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeff Schuman
      Glad you have a system working for you. I drink coffee in the morning, walk 10,000 steps, take a power nap in the early afternoon, and drink a M5 health supplement power drink in the afternoon. I eat light for most meals and eat small healthy snacks every 1-2 hours. In between I work in 3 hour spurts.

      That works well for me pretty much everyday.
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  • Profile picture of the author Luke Dennison
    yeh, i love lamb lol, and eat it almost every day.
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  • Profile picture of the author Trey Morgan
    I recommend reading a motivational book and/or watching a motivational video to get you started.

    Then after that it comes down to self-discipline which you can build over time.

    Use a timer and find out how long you can work before getting tired or losing focus.

    Then make an effort to work for that amount of time each day while adding an extra 5 minutes to your work time every day.

    Eventually, you will build up the discipline to work for a long time. You will still have some days where you don't feel like putting in the time, but the confidence and self-disicpline you will gain from working for a specific amount of time each day, will help you build your work ethic.
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  • What I do is drink herbal tea and eat something crunchy and cold like apples. Keeps me awake and alert =)
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Dou
    I would recommend mixing the boring work with some exciting work, and switching between the two.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Great Gordino
      Originally Posted by Daniel Dou View Post

      I would recommend mixing the boring work with some exciting work, and switching between the two.
      Mixing it up is always good if you can, but sometimes you just have to get stuck into ut and get a load of boring stuff done - who is the motivational guru that talks about 'eating the frog?'
      Sometimes you should just eat the frog first, get it out of the way!
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  • Profile picture of the author hardraysnight
    beer and fish n chips sure works for me
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    • Profile picture of the author nik0
      Banned
      Originally Posted by hardraysnight View Post

      beer and fish n chips sure works for me
      Gonna try that one next time, got to admit that when I was back in Holland and I had a six pack nearby and some snacks that work went pretty well!
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Drink loads of water, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and exercise daily to see optimal results. Works for me at least.
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  • Profile picture of the author FinnFelton
    My best strategy is to drink a cup of hot Kopi Luwak coffee. It gives me caffeine and allow me to stay awake longer and do my work with full of energy.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Stewart
    I start out by eating a nice balanced meal, working out, lots of water. Then when the boredom sets in after a few hours, I drink 1 very strong cup of coffee. It doesn't really give me a lot of energy, but redirects my focus into my work when my focus is waning.

    For the coffee, I grind my own beans and use a french press. I make a big production out of it. I figure if I'm going to be enjoying a vice, I might as well do it right.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sandycmy
    I think more than your work your diet sounds boring ... lol

    great. It works for you !

    For me a little talk with a friend who does more boring work helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author Eddybok
    Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

    When I have boring work to do like sourcing 150 hosting companies and comparing them based on price and some options, I really see up against it and often I spread it out over days, sometimes even weeks.

    But I just found that when I eat a lot of meat (actually only meat), good meat, and drink Coke, I have the strength and power to finish the whole job in just one day!

    Been doing this all week long and am unstoppable

    Just try it!

    ps: 5/10 minutes WF break is recommendable as well but don't stick too long!
    Great! but one man's meat is another man's poison so said a school of thought. I would rather never overwork myself but plan what I can do daily and work by it. An example is: in the morning I work from 9 am - 12 noon and I have a break of 1 or 2 hours then come back to continue my job for a time already set and make sure I do not go beyond the time. In a nutshell, what am trying to say is to have a plan and work the plan on daily basis. We need to work and we equally need to rest. Thank you
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

    When I have boring work to do like sourcing 150 hosting companies and comparing them based on price and some options, I really see up against it and often I spread it out over days, sometimes even weeks.

    But I just found that when I eat a lot of meat (actually only meat), good meat, and drink Coke, I have the strength and power to finish the whole job in just one day!

    Been doing this all week long and am unstoppable

    Just try it!

    ps: 5/10 minutes WF break is recommendable as well but don't stick too long!
    It's not the food

    It's YOU DECIDING to do the work.

    People sure like to overcomplicate things. And now you've created a magical incantation to get in the way of you doing the work. What happens when you don't have a steak around?
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    • Profile picture of the author nik0
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan View Post

      What happens when you don't have a steak around?
      Steak's always around!

      As a matter of fact, I quit eating meat for a couple of weeks, till today...

      Got tired of salmon steak and sardines and tuna.
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  • Profile picture of the author stopper
    I experienced similar success with red meat till I tried out some fish and a little white wine. Sometimes I might doze off but when I get to work, I really get focused like a machine.
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  • Profile picture of the author BenMiller12
    This is actually quite an easy diet plan to follow. In your consume time, you'll be able to eat what you need and as almost as much as you would like. Regardless of how bad meals are with regard to eating. It can be greasy hamburgers as well as cheesecake. Intermittent fasting to lose weight is good technique for instant weight reduction. The only real guideline is that you need to eat this throughout the day with regard to consuming. The particular going on a fast time period seems lengthy, but it isn't which bad. You will get familiar with this quickly and it'll assist you to appreciate your eating days.
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  • Profile picture of the author SuperDee
    Holly cow, I'm surprised this was not mentioned earlier on this thread.

    FOLKS, I've been experimenting for a long time now with various nootropics. (brain/cognative enchancers) Now I've even played around with smart drugs like modafilin / provigil they were all really impressive but I noticed there was something just not right..I worked on a high level and was focused but with provigil/modfilin there was this nagging feeling that something just wasn't right...somewhat unsettling. Anyway from then on I start testing ONLY natural nootropics. Some of my best stacks are, 5HTP + L-thyrosine + Kril Oil. Awesome focus and well sustained also excellent sleep....NOW, if u don't want to go down that route another one of my favourites is Bullet proof coffee!! HOOOOLY COW folks, it is downright amazing... If u can afford it then get it of Dave Aspreys (bulletproof exec) website but if you don't wanna fork out that kinda money then all u need to do is the follow: Get GOOD quality coffee - single origin, washed process and high altitude. Then get GRASS FED, free range butter (important do not use ordinary butter) and the 3rd ingredient you can either use organic, cold pressed coconut oil OR organic MCT Oil (this is the ideal) ..Brew ur coffee normally then add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of Coconutoit/MCToil and blend it together u can use a handblender even....the result is a nice thich creamy cuppa of rocket fuel, might not sound like it tastes good but it does...DO NOT add any milk or sugar or any sweetners this will diminish the cognitive effect.... I generally have that as my breakfast...NOTHING else, it's really healthy becos it's loaded with good fats...keeps you nice and satisfied well into the afternoon/lunchtime. The energy boost and mental focus u get is down right awesome!!! If anyone else has tried it please share ur experience here...
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    • Profile picture of the author Boris_yo
      Originally Posted by SuperDee View Post

      If u can afford it then get it of Dave Aspreys (bulletproof exec) website but if you don't wanna fork out that kinda money then all u need to do is the follow: Get GOOD quality coffee - single origin, washed process and high altitude.
      Are both grassfed butter and MCT oil must be put together?
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  • Profile picture of the author RogozRazvan
    [It is not a good idea to suggest that meat and Coca Cola should be consumed at such a leisure rate.

    I drink water. A lot of it. And I take walking & running breaks between batches. I keep myself hydrated, in shape and motivated.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jackie0433
    I normally eat a powerbar and drink water, I stay away from caffeine
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    • Profile picture of the author wordwizard
      Originally Posted by talfighel View Post

      You want to take more breaks in between your work day. You should work for 30 minutes then take a break.

      If you get tired and want to sleep, I would drink more coffee.
      If I get tired and want to sleep, I take a nap. If need be a long one.
      In cases of emergency, ice cream will help, or, yes, some coffee, which I drink with cream but without sugar.

      Salad with salmon or chicken is helpful too...

      Also divide and conquer. If it's a big yet tedious project, I divide it into segments and work my way through them one at a time...
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