On a bit of slump

RE: On a bit of slump

jw0752 — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 02:07:36 GMT

Hi Fred,

Between the highs of actually being inspired to build something I like to drop back and just salvage components from boards. This keeps me working with electronics. Most of the parts that I salvage are never used. I sort them and store them so I can find them again if needed. When I build a small project for my own use I always try to use the salvage parts first. This makes the salvage process a little more meaningful. I find it relaxing and almost every board has a new interesting part that usually peaks my curiosity and leads me to a small learning adventure. The source for the boards comes from junk electronic devices and I pay a routine visit to the local recycling center where I can buy an armful of boards for a couple dollars.

John

RE: On a bit of slump

colporteur — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 23:43:57 GMT

Welcome kindred soul. I'm in the doing doldrums myself and thought wow I am not alone.

I find there are peaks and valleys in activity, yet I notice the valleys of inactivity and lack of motivation most. At one point I would fight to try and regain what I assumed was normal and then reach a frantic point were I had no time. I try and take a slightly different approach now. In times of hyper activity and mind numbing calm, I tell myself this to will not last. Instead of seeking to change the situation I pause to more closely examine it and look to understand. Why am I feeling this way? What is different?

I think you made a great first start by talking about it. I don't have a formula that I can share to resolve it. I do confess when I am really low doing something, even if it is a walk or better yet a chat with a friend. I'm guilty of a vice and that is a love of reading. It becomes an escape for some longer term relief. Especially if the book is good.

RE: On a bit of slump

ntewinkel — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 18:10:32 GMT

Hi Fred,

I'm in a hobby-electronics kind of slump right now too.

My excuse is that the renovations have been using up all of my time and energy, but even now that we're taking more time off I'm just not feeling motivated yet.

I'm not going to push it, and just allow myself to be lazy for a while.

I do enjoy staying in touch here at element14, so while I'm not on any active project or contest, I'm still exposed to all the great ideas, and the inspiration that comes from everyone here [View:/resized-image/__size/16x16/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-b4168406-9210-415f-806b-2db86b09d6c7/contentimage_5F00_1.png:16:16]

Best,

-Nico

RE: On a bit of slump

shabaz — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 16:22:53 GMT

Hi Fred,

Sorry to hear that, just to add to the list of useful ideas from everyone, maybe a chat group (e.g. Signal/Whatsapp)with like-minded friends or work colleagues can help. I've found joining groups like (say) DIY, tech stuff, even gaming or software, sci-fi, or whatever, anything that a few people have in common, can be great, because then you get time to problem-solve on other people's issues that they may raise on the chat channels, or share your latest DIY or tech or whatever project or dilemma, and basically pushed each other along with ideas, motivation etc. One way to do this is to decide what your colleagues are interested in, and create 3-4 chat groups, and then share the invites with all of them, and hope some will join each group, and even if it is a secondary interest for them, they can just silent that group and still occasionally check-in to get ideas or give suggestions. It becomes motivating when you know people locally that are doing tech/IT-related things.

Also, any Linux or amateur radio groups.. even if they are not local, since everything is remote/email these days anyway, and they may have video calls weekly on topics.. I don't actually attend many of the video calls (maybe twice a year) but it's still interesting to see what's going on via e-mails etc. I hope we have an element14 Discord channel back up again one day, that was quite motivating for me, seeing the real-time conversation chats.

RE: On a bit of slump

rsjawale24 — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 15:50:34 GMT

I was going through something similar. I used to get innovative ideas for design challenges or electronics hobby projects in general but suddenly I stopped getting any new ideas. A lot of my old projects were also pending.

How I recovered? I just took a long break from electronics as well as the community and now I'm back. The last challenge I took part in was the experimenting with inductors challenge in 2019 or early 2020. I came back in 2021 now. It was a real long break for me.

RE: On a bit of slump

genebren — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 15:23:21 GMT

Fred,

What you are going through sounds familiar to me. Ending a huge and interesting project (yeah, with a little extra craziness at the end) is a big let down. I have gone from the top of the world to the bottom at the end of some projects. Adding on my own experiences with depression to these events makes them all the more challenging. Even when depression is not there, the memory of it is. I find myself getting caught up in the worry that depression will again raise it's ugly head when I feel any sort of emotional bump.

My advice is to take baby steps in looking for the next project. Do little things. Allow yourself the time to process the feelings of he last project, before throwing yourself into the next one. I have found that doing a post-completion review of a project can be helpful, looking at what you got right and lessons that you can take away from the project can be very helpful. This can also help to gain perspective about the relative nature of the high points versus the low points (usually way in favor of the high points) and allow you to move on to the next project.

As far as baby steps, you can blog on some of the cool stuff you accomplished on your latest project, or even other past work. Do a simple one or two day project, maybe fixing or improving a tool or step in your creative process.

Good to hear that you may have a path going forward with the last company!

RE: On a bit of slump

dougw — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 15:05:58 GMT

I think most people are permanently in the state you find yourself - just never get quite motivated enough to complete a project.

Motivation is tricky. If you can brainwash yourself into believing all the work will be worthwhile, it is a self-fulfilling exercise - it actually feels worthwhile, and then it actually is worthwhile.

In my case I have talked myself into believing it is important to push myself to my limits regardless of how hard that is. I just assume the harder it is, the more satisfying it will be to complete.

Of course, it doesn't always work. I just got a Project14 in under the wire after a lot of procrastination, but the deadline aspect of the project helped motivate the final push. It may not be a grandiose winning project, but it is at the limit of what I can muster right now.

I would suggest one way out of the doldrums is to pick an area of particular interest and devise a small project. You can do it in your head - no need to lift a finger. Until you feel motivated enough to dive in and do it.

RE: On a bit of slump

javagoza — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 11:50:41 GMT

Hi Fred

You are probably in the time to take a break. When one has been very involved in a project for a long time, the slump always comes once it is finished. It is a session of internal emptiness. In those cases, my solution is to focus more on my children and sports. Take the opportunity to play more with the children to those things that only interest them and spend more time running by signing up for a nearby marathon. In a short time, you feel like procrastinating again and spending time doing "crazy" projects.

RE: On a bit of slump

wolfgangfriedrich — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 11:49:16 GMT

Hello Fred,

Your thoughts sounds very familiar. Besides the fact that I tend to spend much more time outside than at the bench during the summer months, my turn around moment was the off-the-shelf contest. I almost ran out of time even starting my idea (fully in the spirit of this contest [View:/resized-image/__size/16x16/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-b4168406-9210-415f-806b-2db86b09d6c7/contentimage_5F00_3.png:16:16]), but then I thought that I had announced it on the contest page, so I better deliver. I was only a small project, but the biggest reward was to finish it. The feeling to be able to say "This is done!" motivated me to get back into my home-lab more often.

Cheers,

- W.