HN Explorer

Ask HN: What do you do to relax?

42 points by oldmanstan ↗ HN
One thing I do is work out.

But I'm trying to find something I can do every night to wind down and have a bit of fun.

I'm thinking I might watch a movie (or part of one) a few nights a week. Maybe a tv show. Maybe read.

What else? What do you do?

89 comments

[ 6.3 ms ] story [ 161 ms ] thread
togasystems
Working out and reading are my top two wind down methods.

A simple walk around the block works wonders as well.

KevinMS
I used to play world of warcraft, nothing like that level of immersion to relax in respect to real life, but it might just replace real life tension with virtual tension.

Until the new expansion pack comes out I find myself just watching TV

I'm a spud.

b14ck
I really enjoy reading. I take it as a serious hobby (I spend on average 1 hour a day reading, often times more).

I read a variety of books: programming (learn something new), business (keep yourself motivated and consider new approaches), lifestyle (what can I do to be a better person?), and fiction (oooh, a good story).

I can't being to explain how much of a profound impact reading has had on my life. I used to read a ton when I was younger, but when I started university I stopped for a while (hanging out with people, lots of social stuff), and didn't get back into the habit until the beginning of last year.

Reading keeps my mind focused, helps me relax, and teaches me new things all the time. When I read programming books, I make a point to write some software using whatever techniques / libraries the book I'm reading is discussing. This helps me get a better understanding of what I'm reading and learning about, and it's a lot of fun.

How often do you read? Do you enjoy what you're reading?

[deleted]
(comment deleted)
andrewtbham
after working behind a computer all day, walking the dog is a great way to unwind. sometimes, i ride my bike. getting a drink with friends is good too.
jawngee
Play poker, masturbate, play with my cat.

Not at the same time.

silentbicycle
Thanks for dragging down a good conversation. Sheesh.

Ladies and gentlemen, once you click "reply", you will see a flag button for individual comments. Use it responsibly.

RiderOfGiraffes
I used to think there was a HackerNews community, I used to think that I was a member of it, and I used to be proud to be such.

Seeing this comment get downvoted and its parent upvoted with what I can only view as teenaged boys giggling over some smut, I see that there is no single, coherent community with a shared core of beliefs and standards. And maturity. It's a painful lesson.

points
The OP was an honest reply, and it's a good reply. No point being a prude.

  Q. What do you do to relax?
  A. Play poker, masturbate and play with my cat.
What's the big deal here? All healthy fun activities to relax.
RiderOfGiraffes
Then we disagree about what constitutes a "good reply". I won't convince you, you won't convince me, no point in discussing it further. I just think it's on par with children shouting "Bum!" at the top of their voices and thinking it's funny and clever.
points
Do you dispute that he answered the original question honestly and in a useful way?

The fact he added a small joke afterward just adds charm. Lighten up a little ;)

BUM!!!

rw140
To me it makes it HN feel that little bit less welcoming. I may be being over-sensitive, but it makes me feel like I'm eavesdropping on a conversation I wasn't supposed to be part of.

Although, heck, maybe he talks about masturbating in front of girls the whole time.

SHOwnsYou
> "Although, heck, maybe he talks about masturbating in front of girls the whole time."

To be fair, I don't know any guy that doesn't, while in the presence of women, talk about masturbating.

Though I want to make it abundantly clear that I am not defending him from downvotes or suggesting people upvote him (I didn't).

jules
Like in the gym changing room there are three levels of maturity:

1. Giggling 2. Prudishness 3. Maturity

RiderOfGiraffes
I can't believe people on HackerNews are upvoting that comment. Does it really add that much to the conversation?

In the time I've been here on HN I've come to this position. When I reply or submit, I like to consider a hypothetical someone in a year's time, mining HN comments for insight and information. I'd like to think that what I write has some use to the in context, and at the same time accurately reflects who I am now.

And yes, the reply fits in that mould. In a year's time if someone came across that comment, I'd like them to know that I thought it peurile and unfunny, and I flagged it.

Maybe I am just an old fart, but get off my lawn!

points
> "Does it really add that much to the conversation?"

Yes. It has 3 items that satisfy the requirement of relaxing.

dime
Perhaps the real fear is the community degrading the way of Digg or Reddit? Personally, I chuckled at the comment. However the thought of HN being overrun by hordes of interwebz meme spitting, boob picture posting trolls did cross my mind. One thing that holds true for any community...don't feed the trolls.
wwortiz
I read books, mostly sci fi and stuff like that but also humor horror and other genres. Books are wonderful and when you read right before bed you can really tell when you are tired (which is vastly different if you are watching T.V. or other more passive things), I guess after a while your imagination just stops working.

I probably spend most of my personal free time reading books and they are great for me to wind down.

noilly
-critical music listening (some decent hi-fi speakers/headphones required)

-meditating/deliberate breathing

-static/dynamic apnea free diving (need access to body of water)

albahk
Undertake a small 'home-improvement' task that takes no more than an hour or two. After spending so much time in computer systems solving problems, fixing a real-life bug or enhancement in my flat is strangely satisfying.

e.g.

  - finally get that TV/DVD/Stereo setup the right way;
  - replace the dodgy doorbell
  - throw out old crap
  - repaint a room (if you make a mistake, just paint over it)
(edit:formatting)
jallmann
I read and swim (or get some exercise in general).
Dylanlacey
I keep bees. No, really. I play computer games, I go camping, and I keep bees.
zackola
run (although this amps you up, not winds you down) play guitar (this could go either way)
eswat
Usually I read a book or play StarCraft II/Civilization V/Halo Reach. Depends on whether I’ve come to hate technology that day or not. Cleaning stuff also helps me relax, but sometimes it just ends up becoming busy work.

Closing Colloquy and Skype helps too.

jobrahms
I was going to say StarCraft II, but then I remembered that it actually causes me stress.
eswat
Heh, if I’m really stressed out I’ll at least avoid 1v1 online. 4v4 is not so bad thanks to diffusion of responsibility. :)
Ixiaus
Exercise, cook, read (I read a lot), play Halo Reach, sex, meditate, spend time with friends, and read on-line material (what used to be called "surfing the web").
Sukotto
Between the 3 kids and helping my wife with the housework I'm lucky to get any "me" time at all.

When I do I typically read, exercise, or play some minecraft or maybe something on kongregate.

kennu
+1 for Minecraft! Problem is, once you start building something there, you just can't stop until it's ready.
ctkrohn
Read.

Do it right though. Sit down in a comfortable chair. Turn off your computer so you're not constantly getting up and checking your email. Maybe turn on some music. Allocate a sufficient block of time, so you can become truly engrossed in your book.

Good fiction has a way of taking your mind elsewhere that no other medium can match. It's the most satisfying and fulfilling way to relax that I know of.

edit: minor grammar correction

ashitvora
100% agree with fiction book point.
pyre
One of the downsides, for me, is that I can end up 'out of it' until I actually finish the story, yet other times, I'll stop reading at a lull in the story, and never pick the book back up again, because I didn't stop at a point that was engrossing enough to pull me back into the storyline (e.g. Diamond Age).
baddox
I do like reading (non-narrative nonfiction mostly), but I can never seem to relax while doing so. Sitting up in a chair makes holding the book up difficult, reclining is no better, and lying in bed makes my back uncomfortable. How do people physically read for more than an hour at a time?
silentbicycle
I may have noticed it early because I'm too tall for the tables in most coffeeshops, but your body is probably not cool with sitting static while you read for hours on end. Any exercise that emphasizes stretching will help. Yoga, aikido, etc.
mrj
I fidget a lot, too. I suppose I've just gotten used to it, though.

I would recommend "bone support." You shouldn't be holding the book up, but resting it somehow. Angle your arm so you don't have to use muscle, or it'll become painful.

I don't know if that's a good term for it, but that's what they called it when we were learning to shoot in the Marine Corps. Same idea. :-)

cmykgrayscale
Strangely, I like to code to relax. When I get stressed out working on something, I just switch to working on something more fun.
nlco
yup, this is why all my personal projects are 90% done. i'll finish the other 90% some other time.
mindsetlabs
Thats interesting, I tend to do that as well
zackham
The most satisfying way I've found to relax and wind down is doing something completely unrelated to work that involves focus, and even better, a practiced skill. Watching a movie or reading a book can mostly take my mind off work, but it feels much better to do something where you can get in the zone. For me this is skateboarding, rock climbing, racquetball, or cooking. I imagine playing a musical instrument falls into this category as well.
robg
Walk in the woods.
sleepdev
Watch TV in a foreign language. There are lots of ways that this could be entertaining, and if done correctly you can pick up a language in your leisure time.
phugoid
These days, I really enjoy removing the skins from chick peas. You soak them overnight, boil them for two hours, and then you can squeeze them out of their skins.

It's very repetitive and boring, and lets my mind drift. Plus you get smoother hummus if you remove the chick pea skins first.

eitally
Upvoted... for reminding me what it was like the time we blanched raw almonds and had to skin them. Totally boring, but immersive.
adrianwaj
Soak with a zip of lemon juice or vinegar and cook with a snip of Kombu seaweed and it'll take less time.
silentbicycle
Cooking provides lots of tasks that sound boring (and are easily handled by food processors, etc.), but are still very grounding to do my hand and focus on 100%.

I really enjoy making bread. Kneading dough feels very real after hours of debugging bad Algol code.

Also: You forgot to mention garlic!

Zev
Draw. Its nice when the refresh rate of what I'm looking at is how often I blink.
ashitvora
Read.

I do the same. I would suggest you to read fiction books. It will relax your mind.

BUT, if you have friends, family or kids, I would suggest you to hang out with them, play with them.

It will make you more productive next day at work.

Try it for a month. It works. :)

robfitz
Booze and board games (Dominion or Settlers mostly) with buddies.
megrimlock
Mostly agreed... but Dominion seems like it doesn't have much real human interaction. It's more like playing simultaneous games of solitaire with your buddies in a race to the victory conditions. I haven't used all the cards yet so I could be mistaken, but it seems the only real time you can affect other players directly is with the militia, which you can't target and just slows down everyone else. Tthat's not to say there isn't fun to be had, like in chaining together multiple Markets in a round.

You should also check out Bohnanza; similar ideas, fewer rules to parse, plus inter-player trading.