Not that much. Programming was much more fun when I was a kid. everything was new. Every single computer science concept used to amuse me. I used to think about how X works. how Y works. I feel like after finishing undergrad, I pretty much knew how everything in CS "basically" works. compilers, databases, machine learning, etc etc.
I still like programming, but I'm not as passionate as I used to be about it.
How is a life coach different from a clinical counselor/psychologist? If they are mostly the same thing, I can confidently tell that they can be helpful and are not full of shit.
I don't want to be productive just for the sake of being productive. What I meant is that I have some "hobbies" that I know I enjoy doing in right circumstances, having enough mental energy being one of them.
Makes sense. But what if you have coding-related hobbies? Like learning a new programming language or writing a software of interest? It's kinda contradictory. We like to do it in general, but as you said, sitting in front of the screen is the last thing we want to do. So how to resolve this paradox?
I actually am taking Ritalin (methylphenidate) already. But in the morning. Not sure if you mean taking it after work.
Side note: Counterintuitively, Ritalin *might* have been playing a role in my problem as it's known to induce fatigue few hours after taking it.
That's what I have been doing mostly. Socialization, passive stuff, etc. But sometimes I'm not happy about not spending time for personal hobbies (due to the mental energy thing).
But what if you have CS-related hobbies as well? Like learning a new programming language or writing a software of interest? How will you manage it? I'm like you. After 8+ hours of coding, I don't have any energy left for coding. But at the same time I also have coding-related hobbies which I never get a chance to work on, due to not having any mental energy left.
Unfortunately I don't work out after work. Maybe I can give it a shot. Did you find it useful? Not for obvious health-related pros, but for increasing productivity regarding personal interests and hobbies.
It's not about copying what HNers do or living up to others' expectations. I actually have CS-related interests like learning haskell or doing side projects. Some HNers seem to be successfully doing it. I can't. So I was wondering how they manage it.
The thing is that I like my job. It is rewarding, pay is good, etc etc. And I feel due to my curiosity, eagerness for learning, etc etc, whatever CS job I do, the result is gonna be the same. Not much mental energy left at the end of the day. I want to keep my job but at the same time have mental energy left for side interests. But don't know how.
I have some interests, some of which are related to computer science, such as learning Haskell or working on a side project. These types of activities require a lot of mental energy and it can be difficult for me to have the energy to work on them after spending 8 hours at my job. I'm curious to know how other people manage to do it. Other interests I have, like learning to play the piano, require less mental energy. But to be honest, after spending 8 hours at work, I often find myself doing very passive activities like watching YouTube or scrolling through HN and bookmarking things without actually reading them. I don't want to be like this, but I don't know how to change.
You are absolutely correct. The reason I used the term "chemical imbalance" was to simplify the matter. I just meant that I was thinking some of my problems have a chemical basis. As you mentioned, the hypothesis of "imbalanced" chemicals is not proven.
Reply to #1: Many psychiatrists don't seem to be concerned about control variables. When I consulted with them, they would simply ask me how I was feeling and if I said I was feeling better, they would assume that the medication was working. They didn't try to figure out if the improvement was actually due to the medication or something else. In modern life, there are many factors that can affect our well-being, and it can be difficult to track them all. But it's important to always question whether the improvement we experience from medication is actually due to the medication itself or something else in our lives. That's what I'm suggesting.
Reply to #2: That is possible but intuitively I would say the problems those addictions created for me were my main motif for doing lifestyle changes.
Some of my friends even got their visa, have liquidated all of their assets and have resigned from their current position! Such a shame to rescind suddenly long after signing the offer.
The funny thing is that I got recruited at FAANG with my original citizenship without any problem! FAANGs are much more strict when it comes to these issues. I don't understand this thing with Booking, which is not even a US-based company, at all.
They ripped me off a long time ago. Tried to contact them through twitter, Facebook, email and phone call. Never answered. Worst tech company ever in the history of humanity.