This is a special post for quick takes by Chengfeng Mao. Only they can create top-level comments. Comments here also appear on the Quick Takes page and All Posts page.
I'm very susceptible to recommendation algorithms and have been fighting with binge watching videos or social media posts. I recently found that going cold-turkey is much easier than limited usage per day. When I have a quota to check these instant-gratification inducing apps, the temptation is always in the backdrop. Whatever I'm working on feels much more boring compared to checking those apps. Instead, strictly blocking these websites frees me from deciding when to use my quota, and eliminates the comparison. The work I need to do feels less boring. I went cold turkey by asking my friend to set the password of screen time on my phone, and installed self control on my laptop with prolonged intervals of 3 months.
My favorite thing to do when waiting for my AI coding assistant is to do burpee with push-up. Sitting for long hours is bad for health, and taking even a 5-minute break in between could yield some health benefits. Burpee is a great compound exercise to get the heart rate pumped in a few minutes. Squat is also nice. I also noticed more energy and mental clarity since I developed this habit.