Title: There's a great online book called "The Hacker's Diet" (http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/hackdiet.html)  which is a no-bullshit dieting/fitness book written by an engineer with the assumption that the reader is fairly smart and rational. He even has some nifty Excel charts. I lost 50 pounds with his approach. Self-help books are usually total drivel with no respect for the reader, so I wish there were tons more written like this one, but on other topics.<p>But I figure starting a discussion about a problem I have (and others here might) could be a good idea...<p>Anyway, as I've worked on my business in my spare hours, I've  gradually refined my methods for planning projects and getting work done.  I'm more productive than I was a year ago, but there's kind of a blind spot that maybe other folks here don't have.<p>I've noticed the biggest bottleneck stopping me from efficiently accomplishing the tasks I've set up for myself is just my mood. I'll have a clear definition of what needs to be done, full confidence in where I'm going with things, and I'll sit down and just think "aw, damn, I feel like shit." Then I'll generally waste time until it's 1am and I need to sleep. This happens 1-2 nights a week.<p>I'm looking for news.yc folks to try to get some rational insights on on the irrational problem of keeping your mood in check and focusing on what matters, when you're just one guy.<p>How do you guys deal with emotional problems?<p>How do you avoid ruminating on things in your day that have pissed you off? This is my biggest issue.<p>What kind of non-computer things can you readily do to get away from it? What kind of breaks do you take, and what do you do?<p>What time of day do you work on your own stuff? Do you ever forgo sleep to hack into the night if it's going well, or do you always get your eight hours? Which is better in the long run?<p>These might seem like goofy or stupid questions, but I think discussing them in a nifty forum like News.YC might yield some good insights.<p>My thinking is that while some emotional problems are complex and difficult, a good number of them can be solved simply. I've noticed, for instance, that about half of the time I feel like dying, the trifecta of a shower, a nap, and a bowl of chili reverses the feeling 100%.<p>I had a few thoughts and suggestions around things that <i>have</i> worked well for me, but this post is long enough, so I'll leave this open. Thanks!
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