Eli Tyre comments on Hire (or Become) a Thinking Assistant

[Eli Tyre]

Here’s an example.

This was process I tried for a while to make transitioning out of less effective states easier, by reducing the cognitive overhead. I would basically answer a series of questions to navigate a tree of possible states, and then the app would tell me directly what to do next, instead of my needing to diagnose what was up with me free-form, and then figure out how to respond to that, all of which was unaffordable when I was in a low-efficacy state.

• State modulation process:

  • Start: #[[state modulation notes]]

    • Is this a high activation state or a low activation state?

    • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[High activation]]}}

      • Am I currently compulsive /​ stimulation hungry /​ reactive /​ urgey?

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

        • {{[[TODO]]}} Generate a random number between 0 and 2

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Untitled]]}}

          • {{[[TODO]]}} 0

            • [Hypothesized approach]

            • {{[[TODO]]}} **Do 3 minutes of cardio to clear cache. **

            • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Untitled]]}}

              • {{[[TODO]]}} **Take some breaths to clear space and then check in with what’s present for me. **

          • {{[[TODO]]}} 1

            • [Hypothesized approach]

            • {{[[TODO]]}} Meditate into the sensation for 4 minutes

          • {{[[TODO]]}} 2

            • [Hypothesized approach]

            • {{[[TODO]]}} Alternating warm-cold shower

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

        • Activated—What is the flavor of the activation?

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Overwhelm /​ bursting with threads]]}}

          • **Write out all my threads on note-cards. **

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[“Left over activation”]]}}

          • One of:

            • {{[[TODO]]}} Just sit with the sensation, observing it, and feeling the space around it.

            • {{[[TODO]]}} Just focus on my breath.

            • {{[[TODO]]}} Intentionally lower my arousal with biofeedback

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[“Psychological”]]}}

          • Do Focusing

          • {{[[Focusing checklist]]}}

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[I’m not sure]]}}

          • Meditate, alternating with Journaling

          • Set a 5 minute timer

          • [[journal]]

    • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Low activation]]}}

      • Am I...?

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Sleep deprived]]}}

        • • • Does it feel like if I tried to nap that I would fall asleep?

            • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

              • Do I have at least 2 hours before my next commitment?

              • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

                • Do yoga nidra:

                • {{[[nap checklist]]}}

                  1. Put my phone on silent

                  2. Generate a random number between 0 and 3

                     • 0 - nothing

                     • 1 - Turn on pink noise

                     • 2 - Turn on binaural beats in the alpha range

                  3. Take a moment to feel the appeal of getting cozy and going to sleep

                  4. Turn on the air conditioner

                  5. Start a randomized yoga nidra audio

              • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

                • Do a 20 minute yoga-nidra, then amp up with bellows breathing

            • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

              • Have I exercised already today?

              • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

                • Can I easily play beatsaber, and do I feel like it?

                • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

                  • go play beatsaber

                • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

                  • Do a 20 minute yoga nidra

                  • [note that I need to make a separate playlist for these]

              • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

                • Go exercise:

                • What is smallest next step for going to exercise?

                  • .

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Cognitively drained]]}}

        • Does it feel like if I tried to nap that I would fall asleep?

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

          • Do I have at least 2 hours before my next commitment?

          • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

            • Lie down for a 40 minute yoga-nidra

            • {{[[nap checklist]]}}

              1. Put my phone on silent

              2. Generate a random number between 0 and 3

                 • 0 - nothing

                 • 1 - Turn on pink noise

                 • 2 - Turn on binaural beats in the alpha range

              3. Take a moment to feel the appeal of getting cozy and going to sleep

              4. Turn on the air conditioner

              5. Start a randomized yoga nidra audio

          • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

            • Do a 20 minute yoga-nidra, then amp up with bellows breathing

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

          • Have I exercised already today?

          • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

            • Can I easily play beatsaber, and do I feel like it?

            • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

              • go play beatsaber

            • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

              • Do a 20 minute yoga nidra

              • [note that I need to make a separate playlist for these]

          • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

            • Go exercise:

            • What is smallest next step for going to exercise?

              • .

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Physically exhausted]]}}

        • [duno]

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Slugish]]}}

        • Am I slugish from just having eaten?

        • {{[[TODO]]}} Yes, I just ate

          • Have I done my anki review for the day?

            • {{[[TODO]]}} Yes

              • Go read saved articles

              • And if I bounce off of that, go lie down with my eyes closed.

            • {{[[TODO]]}} No

              • Do an anki review

              • If I bounce off, lie down with my eyes closed.

        • {{[[TODO]]}} No, that’s not the cause

          • Drink a glass of water

          • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Untitled]]}}

            • Do I want to just lie down with my eyes closed?

              • {{[[TODO]]}} Yeah, that sounds good

                • Lay down with my eyes closed.

              • {{[[TODO]]}} No, not really

                • Go exercise,__ even if I already have for the day__.

                • What’s the first, smallest step for going to exercise?

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Fuzzy]]}}

        • {{[[TODO]]}} Drink a tall glass of water

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Untitled]]}}

          • Go exercise,__ even if I already have for the day__.

          • What’s the first, smallest step for going to exercise?

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Feeling stuck or cloged or weighed down]]}}

        • Do Focusing

        • {{[[Focusing checklist]]}}

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[in a slow-mode]]}}

        • Do I want to be in a slow mode?

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

          • Great!

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

          • Shift state:

          • Start by imagining yourself from the outside, and imagining yourself in a different state, and feeling the the appeal of that different state.

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[urgy, stimulation hungry]]}}

        • Hypothesized approach:

        • Do 3 minutes of cardio to clear cache.

        • {{[[Untitled]]}}

          • Orient on what’s next.

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Unmotivated]]}}

        • Am I dressed?

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

          • Feel into my chest. Is there a feeling of “stuckness”?

          • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

            • Do focusing.

            • [Focusing checklist]

              • 1. Clear a space

              • 1. Delineate all of the parts that I can feel

              • 1. Ask what most wants my attention

            • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Untitled]]}}

              • Did it work?

              • {{[[yes]]}}

                • Yay!

              • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

                • Lie down with my eyes closed

          • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

            • • • Am I averse to a specific task or just generally uninterested?

                • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Averse to a specific task]]}}

                  • Is it an ambiguity aversion, a “ugh” aversion, or active opposition?)

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[ambiguity aversion]]}}

                  • What is the absolute minimum next step?

                  • .

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[next]}}

                  • Simulate that next step.

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[“ugh” aversion, it feels like a slog]]}}

                  • Did I precommit to do this as one of my main goals for the day?

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} Take one deep breath.

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} Start a Focusmate session.

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

                  • Dialog with my motivation

                  • Any of:

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} Goal factor

                  • {{[[TODO]]}}** Iterate up the motivation chain**

                  • [[Goal-chain inspection]]

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} Fermi estimate of it it seems worth it to do

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[active opposition]]}}

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} Do Focusing

                  • {{[[Pull up Focusing checklist]]}}

                • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[generally uninterested]]}}

                  • OR:

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} Journal: What do I want?

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} Lie down with my eyes closed until something seems worth getting up for.

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

          • {{[[TODO]]}} get dressed.

          • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Untitled]]}}

            • Am I averse to a specific task or just generally uninterested?

            • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[Averse to a specific task]]}}

              • Is it an ambiguity aversion, a “ugh” aversion, or active opposition?)

              • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[ambiguity aversion]]}}

                • What is the absolute minimum next step?

                  • .

                • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[next]}}

                  • Simulate that next step.

              • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[“ugh” aversion, it feels like a slog]]}}

                • Did I precommit to do this as one of my main goals for the day?

                • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} Take one deep breath.

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} Start a Focusmate session.

                • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

                  • Dialog with my motivation

                  • Any of:

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} Goal factor

                  • {{[[TODO]]}}** Iterate up the motivation chain**

                  • [[Goal-chain inspection]]

                  • {{[[TODO]]}} Fermi estimate of it it seems worth it to do

              • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[active opposition]]}}

                • {{[[TODO]]}} Do Focusing

                • {{[[Pull up Focusing checklist]]}}

            • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[generally uninterested]]}}

              • OR:

                • {{[[TODO]]}} Journal: What do I want?

                • {{[[TODO]]}} Lie down with my eyes closed until something seems worth getting up for.

      • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[otherwise low energy]]}}

        • Am I dressed?

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[yes]]}}

          • Check in with myself, to see if there’s something that I need.

        • {{[[TODO]]}} {{[[no]]}}

          • {{[[TODO]]}} Get dressed.

          • {{[[Untitled]]}}

            • Am I feelingbetter?

              • {{[[yes]]}}

                • Great!

              • {{[[no]]}}

                • Check in with myself, to see if there’s something that I need.

[Raemon]

Did this work?

[Eli Tyre]

Somewhat. Not as well as a thinking assistant.

Namely, the impetus to start still needed to come from inside of me in my low efficacy state.

I thought that I should do a training regime where I took some drugs or something (maybe mega doses of carbs?) to intentionally induce low efficacy states and practice executing a simple crisp routine, like triggering the flowchart, but I never actually got around to doing that.

I maybe still should?