I would choose and maintain a sleep schedule, or at least a bedtime (I’m not sure whether infinite willpower would let me wake up without an alarm at a given time, and I find that having an alarm set messes up the quality of my sleep).
I would do more things that I enjoy while I do them, but fail to muster the activation energy to manage—going for walks in nice weather, cooking more complicated foods, etc.
My ability to do things very fast is currently hampered by my psychological need to multitask, take frequent and extended breaks, etc. With infinite willpower I would just do things very fast. I would take on more paid work.
I would probably learn to drive, if controlling my emotions at will meant that I could do it without shaking like a leaf for hours after the fact or freaking out so much that I become an actual road hazard.
I would presumably be able to stop eating things after noting that I am neither hungry nor enjoying them. (I’m improved at this relative to how I was when I was a kid but it sometimes happens anyway.)
I would presumably be able to stop eating things after noting that I am neither hungry nor enjoying them.
This is actually theorized to be a major contributor to obesity. It definitely is for me; I generally desire to continue eating until mechanically full, or the food is gone.
Forcibly eating slowly (using chopsticks can help that) can help that.
It doesn’t happen very often. Usually I am hungry, enjoying my food, or both. But occasionally I get stuck in take-more-bites mode with neither in place, and that’s annoying.
My ability to do things very fast is currently hampered by my psychological need to multitask, take frequent and extended breaks, etc. With infinite willpower I would just do things very fast. I would take on more paid work.
Before I got ADD treatment I coped by working in a job where it’s an asset rather than a liability: tech support. One cannot keep the same activity going very long in that environment because one is certain to be interrupted with something of higher priority, in short order.
The important one! At least for me. I actually consider the inability to remember to go to bed a surprisingly legitimate sleep disorder—especially with people who have a significant weakness with task switching in general.
I can agree with this. I usually find that unless I’ve reached a certain threshold of tiredness at night, there is no way for me to will myself to sleep, though at other times, especially for naps during the day, I can easily lay down until I fall asleep, even if I’m not feeling particularly tired.
The only way i was ever able to get my sleep under control was by going through a full cycle… It didn’t last very long(about a month) but it gave me a sense of power over my sleep schedule when it came to things i truly cared about and so far this has led to me being much more effective.
Step 1: Stay up progressively later each night while sleeping as long as you can each night/day.(this should take about 4-7 days)
Step 2: Once you get within two hours of your desired sleep target time, simply lie in bed slightly earlier in the day and try to focus on memory’s rather than new thoughts.
Step 3: Slowly repeat step 2 over the next few weeks, while transitioning to more complex thoughts while lieing in bed.
The locus of control we feel for sleep is IMMENSELY important according to my research and my personal experience and i just thought id share my experience in defining my own schedule on my own terms.
I would choose and maintain a sleep schedule, or at least a bedtime (I’m not sure whether infinite willpower would let me wake up without an alarm at a given time, and I find that having an alarm set messes up the quality of my sleep).
I would do more things that I enjoy while I do them, but fail to muster the activation energy to manage—going for walks in nice weather, cooking more complicated foods, etc.
My ability to do things very fast is currently hampered by my psychological need to multitask, take frequent and extended breaks, etc. With infinite willpower I would just do things very fast. I would take on more paid work.
I would probably learn to drive, if controlling my emotions at will meant that I could do it without shaking like a leaf for hours after the fact or freaking out so much that I become an actual road hazard.
I would presumably be able to stop eating things after noting that I am neither hungry nor enjoying them. (I’m improved at this relative to how I was when I was a kid but it sometimes happens anyway.)
This is actually theorized to be a major contributor to obesity. It definitely is for me; I generally desire to continue eating until mechanically full, or the food is gone.
Forcibly eating slowly (using chopsticks can help that) can help that.
It doesn’t happen very often. Usually I am hungry, enjoying my food, or both. But occasionally I get stuck in take-more-bites mode with neither in place, and that’s annoying.
Before I got ADD treatment I coped by working in a job where it’s an asset rather than a liability: tech support. One cannot keep the same activity going very long in that environment because one is certain to be interrupted with something of higher priority, in short order.
You might try Melatonin for sleep regulation.
Tried that.
Might not (probably won’t?) work for you, but as a data point, my routine, which works for me:
Don’t expose yourself to bright light within 2 hours of going to sleep.
Around an hour before your ideal going-to-sleep time, take an ice-cold 3-minute shower in the dark.
Do n-back (black screen, black n-back background) until you are really really tired.
Get in bed and stay there until you fall asleep.
The important one! At least for me. I actually consider the inability to remember to go to bed a surprisingly legitimate sleep disorder—especially with people who have a significant weakness with task switching in general.
Doesn’t work for me. I’ll just lie there for hours.
I can agree with this. I usually find that unless I’ve reached a certain threshold of tiredness at night, there is no way for me to will myself to sleep, though at other times, especially for naps during the day, I can easily lay down until I fall asleep, even if I’m not feeling particularly tired.
That’s way more intrusion into my life than I’d tolerate for a regular sleep schedule.
The only way i was ever able to get my sleep under control was by going through a full cycle… It didn’t last very long(about a month) but it gave me a sense of power over my sleep schedule when it came to things i truly cared about and so far this has led to me being much more effective.
Step 1: Stay up progressively later each night while sleeping as long as you can each night/day.(this should take about 4-7 days) Step 2: Once you get within two hours of your desired sleep target time, simply lie in bed slightly earlier in the day and try to focus on memory’s rather than new thoughts. Step 3: Slowly repeat step 2 over the next few weeks, while transitioning to more complex thoughts while lieing in bed.
The locus of control we feel for sleep is IMMENSELY important according to my research and my personal experience and i just thought id share my experience in defining my own schedule on my own terms.