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Study: Small Doses of Caffeine Best to Stay Awake
Ralph writes "This study concludes that smaller doses of caffeine throughout the day are more effective in keeping awake for long hours, rather than the traditional morning mug of coffee. However, in many cases, myself included, the problem isn't staying awake for long hours, but rather using uptime efficiently. Any known cures for the "laziness disorder" out there?"
Ask your girlfriend not to have sex w/ you unless you can prove you took a few major items off your todo list.
[o]_O
If you are tired, sleep.
When I left Uni and moved into the 'workforce', I often wondered why I found it so hard to actually do work. I mean, I did it, because I had to, but I really just felt so 'blah' about it all the time.
I hadn't felt that way at Uni that I could remember and I really just couldn't place my finger on why I felt like that.
Anyway, long story short, I left paid employment a year ago to go freelance, and it didn't take long for me to realise why I was feeling so lazy before. Put simply, it just takes me a while to get rolling, perhaps 6, 7, 8 hours between the time I get up and the time when I am ready to work. Once I'm ready then I am quite happy to work 10 hours straight without so much as a snack (provided the diet coke is close at hand of course).
I learnt that trying to work before I was in the mood is simply counter productive, I'll be easily distracted, I'll be grumpy and I'll probably get frustrated. But if I just relax and be lazy for a few hours then I'll soon be ready to code all night.
I had a similar philosophy when it came to studying at Uni (and school), if I wasn't in the mood for it then there was no point even trying because I wouldn't be able to concentrate so my time was better spent on other things until I felt like studying.
My point is that lazyness is perfectly normal, everybody feels lazy sometimes, some more than others. If at all possible you should simply accept that you are feeling lazy and do -- precisely whatever you want to do; when you're ready to work you will.
Of course if your stuck in the 9-5 corporate world then you're screwed - your employers won't understand that you would be far more productive if you could choose your own hours.
Seriously, MJ is the best cure for laziness that I've ever tried. Just realize that set/setting matter. If you expect it not to work, it won't. But if you genuinely desire to get a lot done, and try it, in _small_ doses, you just may find things much easier to get a handle on both intellectually and emotionally. I have ADD, I have medication for it, and what I'm prescribed doesn't hold a candle to it, and is much worse in terms of wear and tear on the body.
First of all, as some other responders have said- people's physiology varies, I know people who have suffered serious headaches when trying to quit drinking coffee; people who didn't whine and certainly don't think it "makes them cool" to.
Secondly, the parent post was pointing out the hypocricy of US drug laws, and they're quite right- marijuana, for one, isn't nearly as addictive and withdraw, even for a very heavy smoker, is typically not bad at all. Also, a vast majority of people who have at some point smoked pot regularly quit by their thirties. Can coffee drinkers say the same?
Would people sell themselves for another fix of it?
Would somebody REALLY sell themselves for a cup of coffee? Would you sleep with someone you hate or are repulsed by just so you can get a cup of coffee?
Get off the scare tactic wagon.
--I am Sun Tzu of the Borg. Resistance is feudal.
And this person WOULD have to say this under the AC guise...
First, let me break down your mindless statement by tackling the "legal" and "cheaper" parts at the same time. It is unarguable the legality of certain substances that causes a drastic rise in their prices. The fact of the matter is, virtually ANYTHING on the black market is more expensive (with the exception of warez hehe).
And finally, whoever said that someone was going to be doing it at work? For that matter, lets assume that you are talking about taking certain substances at work (NOT endorsing anyone here to do that, end legal disclaimer), there are certainly several substances that would increase your work output FAR more than even the most ridiculous espresso.