Oddbean new post about login | logout There is a lot of value in changing locations on a regular basis if you are in a position to do so. New stimulus is important. I don’t have much family in the US, but it is my home and I am very productive here. By the end of a year I start to get burned out, especially given my schedule. Then I go to Egypt for part of the year, and am refreshed. My husband and I live there for a period of time each year, and visit family and friends. It’s warm and social, but chaotic and less productive. It’s also a hot desert, and Cairo in particular has a lot of air pollution (the car smog plus sand/dust combo). So when I come back to the US I am refreshed again. Crisp, cool, clean, autumn air. Space and time to think and work in a more focused way. The cycle refreshes anew each year.
So much this
yes any kind of change boosts energy - but is also a distraction have to balance out the two not enough change = stagnation too much change = disorientation
Here is a first world problem that agrees with your point strongly. I am offered like 30 conference speaking requests per year by organizers, often with expenses paid, and I turn 90% of them down. Like, free trips to luxury Swiss Alp resorts, or to 5-star Indonesian resorts, etc. And I am like, “look, in a vacuum this would be amazing to attend and I would love to, but it’s just too much, and I can’t). And for me it is hard to tell people no. I have to say no so often and that kind of hurts. But it is because not enough change is stagnation, and too much change (or too much travel while you are putting in 70 hour weeks) is disorienting and unproductive.
It’s only going to get worse after your book gets more widely read. Four chapters in, and struck by how clear and straightforwardly written it is. Am recommending it to my normie friends. Anyone can understand it.
Just input all of your public conversations into an LLM and make an AI clone of yourself. Send this AI bot to all the events you turn down and make even more money.
my mother's shrink has a rule where every 7 years he sells his house and buys a different one - just as a sort of hard reset. if i had money to blow like him i would do that too.
I enjoy living in an area with four distinct seasons because each one provides welcome change. That, and I change work locations frequently, which normally means anywhere other than "the office".
You might have nothing to do in this part of the world, but have you been to Oman? Super chill people, government open to Bitcoin mining, interesting geology, and less pollution compared to what I've experienced in Egypt. Not as extreme(weather, luxury, etc), as in UAE. I'm planning to do the same Europe <> Oman for foreseeable future.
Sounds exotic.
I did the travel thing. Working in various locations. I'm done with it. People are people.
Appreciate your take on this. Traveling is fundamentally a life-long learning experience. And the best part is coming home again. We have our tribe, our people, our culture, and we need to go away to appreciate it. Also, everyone else’s food is so much funner than our own!
So true. And sometimes even an hour in the car, driving along a highway that is not too busy really clears your mind.
Move like the water of a river #hispano #BTC #Art #asknostr #plebstr #zapathon #Zap #tunestr #Amethyst nostr:nevent1qqs2gt04kc9ztauns5ru368y30dl4u6pyherhn3axa5nhdagqd2x0dcpz3mhxue69uhkummnw3ezummcw3ezuer9wcpzp64suatdx2uqhn2xfu7cgjuqgqcrqadp864uxkv6wckf43atj860qvzqqqqqqy06u63e
if you settle, where would you go?
You have some good points there. As others have mentioned in the replies you need to find the right balance between productivity and new stimulus though. Personally I try hard to add novelty to my travels. It's always easier to go back to the locations you know and love than challenging yourself with new places and cultures. To me that can feel like stagnation. I've been exploring for the past 20 years and travelled (and lived in) close to 70 countries. In the book Algorithms To Live By the Explore-Exploit algorithm is mentioned: To get optimal results, explore for 37% of the time, then switch to exploration for the remainder. I find it's not too bad of an idea. Greetings from the Indian Himalayas 🇮🇳🏔️😀 https://image.nostr.build/1e4c72160be6f16c4c43ac34b5078e05d9f962cbda3ecbf239e65f97277effa7.jpg
ChatGPT would like to respond: "It's like you've discovered the perfect recipe for life's refresh button! The US offers productivity and focus, Egypt brings warmth and social connection, and the annual cycle keeps your life in harmony. Keep living this inspiring tale of two homes!" Thank God it's still acting like a basic facebook user, complete with a fall sweater and starbucks pumpkin spice.
I do the same between Europe and Mexico, love it.
