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Health Problems Related to the Geek Lifestyle

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the mental-health-beyond-repair dept.

jonasj writes "A doctor and former programmer has written a good article on common geek health problems. From the article: 'If I were to go and try to run a few miles this weekend, I would not be able to easily do so. [...] However, if you take one of the these college basketball athletes, any of them would be able to run miles without even breathing heavy. However, if you made them sit down and try to learn Java for 12 hours a day, most of them would be asleep at their desk before lunch. The typical geek trains their brain to be heavily focused while multitasking day after day. Is it surprising that this same brain does not do well when forced to isolate down to one task?'"

12 of 495 comments (clear)

  1. If there's nothing to see, try moving along. by Tackhead · · Score: 5, Funny
    Nothing to see here, because you've already got eyestrain.

    Please move along at least every hour or two before you add deep vein thrombosis to your list of troubles.

  2. From TFA: by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

    The bed should only be used for two things-sex and sleep.

    Or, in the case of geeks, one thing.

    1. Re:From TFA: by verbatim · · Score: 5, Funny

      The bed should only be used for two things-sex and sleep.

      Or, in the case of geeks, one thing.

      Then where is the geek supposed to sleep?

      --
      Price, Quality, Time. Pick none. What, you thought you had a choice?
    2. Re:From TFA: by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Then where is the geek supposed to sleep?

      At the keyboard. Get an ergonomic split keyboard so your nose can rest on the split between the two halfs of the keyboard so your face can avoid touching the keys. Otherwise, you will wake up with "QWERTY" stamped on your forehead from a regular keyboard.

  3. What about the benefits?? by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 5, Funny

    If it weren't for my intense geek lifestyle, I might never have gotten rid of that parasite I found myself host to, a terrifying creature which constantly drained my health and resources day and night.. but thanks to my intense multitasking focus and nerd powers, she eventually left me and moved back in with her folks.

    --
    Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
  4. Wait, so let me get this straight.... by MustardMan · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm fat because my brain can't focus on a single task? Here I thought it was all the taco bell and doritos I ate, combined with the fact that I sit on my big ass 24 hours a day. All along it's been because my brain just likes to multitask. Thank you, TFA, for giving me yet another excuse to skip that pesky personal responsibility thing and blame something else for my lard ass.

  5. Re:Sounds mostly familiar by Bimo_Dude · · Score: 5, Funny

    I was going to RTFA, but methinks the web server is having health problems related to the geek lifestyle.

    --
    "Teleporting Rodents with D-Cell Battery Displacement" theory -- IgnoramusMaximus (692000)
  6. Re:Whatever. by j1bb3rj4bb3r · · Score: 3, Funny

    I believe you missed the point, or rather the analogy. The single task issue was more related to "why geeks can't handle certain tasks" such as meetings. The exercise was the analogy. Just as you cannot go out and do physical tasks you are not conditioned to do, so too with mental tasks. Apparently reading comprehension is a task you are not well conditioned at doing if you could not seperate the analogy of exercise from the point about the differences between multitasking and focusing on single specific task. The comments made by the doctor made it rather clear he encouraged people to meeting with physical therapists or personal trainers to get exercise.

    I actually just like to take out my Jump to Conclusions Mat (patent pending) every once and awhile. It's part of my physical fitness regimen.

    --
    *yawn*
  7. Re:The Sun by Short+Circuit · · Score: 3, Funny

    I should mention...I got a sunburn once, years ago. So I moved my computer away from the window.

    --
    tasks(723) drafts(105) languages(484) examples(29106)
  8. Re:Sounds mostly familiar by HardCase · · Score: 3, Funny

    Heheh, there's not enough in my wallet to matter...

    -h-

  9. Re:No, geeks are lazy... by gardyloo · · Score: 5, Funny

    You're right at the cusp of realizing the difference between a geek and a dork.

        Only a nerd would draw a distinction.

  10. Re:Eat your cake and burn the calories, too. by gardyloo · · Score: 3, Funny

    Your selector class reads a variable passed by the QB/coach/point guard, then picks a function and executes the steps.

            My god. The first time I read that, I thought, "Now what would Quick Basic have to do with football?"
            *sob*