HowToLiveWorse

CHAPTER 03 · 25 SOURCE ENTRIES

Protecting Your Mental Energy

不要浪费精力

[← 回总目录](../README.md) 本节只算精力和时间账。看的是四样东西：你每天能用的注意力、反应快不快、出错多不多、被打断以后要多久才回得来。所有数字都是直接测出来的，来自实验，或者来自跟踪一群人做的记录（队列研究）。这些数字不换算成寿命，也不换算成死亡率。本节多数条目的证据等级是 B。这个领域本来就这样，不代表建议不成立。第 19 条讲的是和警察、医生、柜员打交道时该有的预期，引的是法规，不是实验，所以等级记 C。第 15 条（把悲观念头当症状看）和第 22 条（把「别人要求我完美」当症状看）引的是死亡率与自杀风险的数字，口径和本节其他条目不一样，不放在一起比较。 本节条目按主题

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03-001
Evidence Btime-energy

Turn off non‑essential notifications and keep your phone out of sight while working

关掉非必要通知，工作时把手机放到视线之外

Even if you don’t look at or touch your phone when it rings, your performance on attention‑related tasks still drops. The drop is roughly the same as when you actually answer calls or send messages. Another scenario: even when the phone sits on the desk and you resist the urge to glance at it, the amount of mental capacity available still decreases. The more dependent a person is on their phone, the greater this drop tends to be.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Turn off non‑essential notifications and keep your phone out of sight while working” to Future Me's calendar

Future Me has a clearer calendar, more patience, and apparently the same responsibilities.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-002
Evidence Btime-energy

Keep a fixed wake-up time, even on weekends

固定起床时间，周末也一样

For the top 20% of students with the most irregular sleep schedules, their circadian rhythm runs roughly 2.5 hours later than that of the top 20% with the most regular schedules. This is equivalent to living with a persistent jet lag. Moreover, students with more consistent sleep patterns tend to achieve better academic results.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Keep a fixed wake-up time, even on weekends” to Future Me's calendar

If I do not open the notes, no new task has technically appeared.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-003
Evidence Atime-energy

Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night — don’t settle for just 6 hours

每晚睡够 7 到 8 小时，别把 6 小时当作够用

After two full weeks of getting only 6 hours of sleep each night, brain performance drops to a level equivalent to going two full nights without any sleep at all. The tricky part is that people don’t notice this effect themselves. Their self-rated sleepiness only rises during the first few days and then plateaus — people sleeping 6 hours report the same level of fatigue as those sleeping just 4 hours. In other words, the belief that “6 hours of sleep is enough for me” is actually a symptom of chronic sleep deprivation.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night — don’t settle for just 6 hours” to Future Me's calendar

One more exception feels free because the bill arrives outside the current scene.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-004
Evidence Atime-energy

Avoid caffeine after 2 p.m.

下午两点以后不碰咖啡因

Consuming a large cup of coffee containing 400 mg of caffeine 6 hours before bedtime reduces measured total sleep time by over 1 hour, yet personal sleep logs show no difference. To avoid any impact on sleep, a regular cup of coffee (107 mg of caffeine) must be consumed at least 8.8 hours prior to bedtime; for those going to bed at 11 p.m., 2 p.m. marks the cutoff point.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Avoid caffeine after 2 p.m.” to Future Me's calendar

I can spend longer deciding whether to start than the small action would take.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-005
Evidence Btime-energy

Batch-process emails and messages a few times per day

把邮件和消息改成每天固定几次批量处理

The same group of participants was studied over two weeks. During the week when they limited email checks to just three times per day, their daily stress levels dropped noticeably compared to the unrestricted week — while the total number of emails sent and received stayed the same. Without any limits, people checked their emails an average of 15.5 times per day.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Batch-process emails and messages a few times per day” to Future Me's calendar

The routine already works until the day the source says it may not.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-006
Evidence Btime-energy

When doing tasks that require continuous thinking, keep out even brief interruptions

做需要连续思考的工作时，把哪怕几秒钟的打断也挡在外面

Even a brief interruption lasting 2.8 seconds on average doubles the chance of errors in subsequent steps of a sequential task. An interruption of 4.4 seconds triples that error rate. Field observations also show that it takes an average of 25 minutes to return to the interrupted task, with two other unrelated tasks squeezed in during that time. People who get interrupted do finish tasks faster, but they report higher levels of stress, frustration, effort, and time pressure.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “When doing tasks that require continuous thinking, keep out even brief interruptions” to Future Me's calendar

There is no immediate alarm, so the sensible choice can wait for a less busy week.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-007
Evidence Btime-energy

Do one thing at a time — don’t reply to messages while in a meeting

一次只做一件事，不要边开会边回消息

Every time you switch tasks, your reaction time slows down and errors become more likely. People who regularly keep multiple screens open at once don’t actually get better at multitasking; in fact, they perform worse on task-switching tests.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Do one thing at a time — don’t reply to messages while in a meeting” to Future Me's calendar

Future Me has a clearer calendar, more patience, and apparently the same responsibilities.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-008
Evidence Btime-energy

Avoid glowing screens one hour before bed; if you must, read paper books or e-ink devices instead

睡前一小时不看发光屏幕，要看就看纸书或墨水屏

Reading from glowing screens before bed delays sleep onset by roughly 10 minutes compared to reading paper books. It also lowers melatonin production by 55%. The next day, the body’s internal clock shifts more than 1.5 hours later, making mornings harder and requiring extra time to feel fully awake.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Avoid glowing screens one hour before bed; if you must, read paper books or e-ink devices instead” to Future Me's calendar

If I do not open the notes, no new task has technically appeared.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-009
Evidence Btime-energy

Go to bed at a set time — avoid staying up late for games, short videos, or porn

到点就睡，不为游戏、短视频、色情内容熬夜

In 2025, Chinese people slept an average of 6.97 hours per night, with an average bedtime of 12:10 a.m. Those who used phones or tablets before bed were more than twice as likely to get insufficient sleep and 2.7 times more likely to feel drowsy during the day. Even simply having such devices in the bedroom — without using them — produced similar results. Thus, keeping phones out of the bedroom is the simplest way to improve sleep.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Go to bed at a set time — avoid staying up late for games, short videos, or porn” to Future Me's calendar

One more exception feels free because the bill arrives outside the current scene.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-010
Evidence Btime-energy

Don’t make major decisions or send important messages late at night

深夜不做重大决定、不发要紧的消息

People who stayed awake for 49.5 hours were asked to take part in risk decision experiments. When well-rested, they quickly learned to avoid high-risk options; after sleep deprivation, they repeatedly chose high-risk choices instead. The older a person is, the more pronounced this effect becomes. This study looked at the extreme scenario of two consecutive sleepless nights; it did not directly test how much impact a few fewer hours of sleep would have, but the overall trend supports postponing important decisions until the next day.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Don’t make major decisions or send important messages late at night” to Future Me's calendar

I can spend longer deciding whether to start than the small action would take.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-011
Evidence Btime-energy

Take a 10‑minute nap in the afternoon — don’t sleep half an hour

下午困了就睡 10 分钟，不要睡半小时

A 10‑minute nap gives an immediate boost of alertness that lasts about two and a half hours. A 5‑minute nap provides almost no benefit, while a 20‑minute nap only starts to help after roughly half an hour. Sleeping 30 minutes brings on sleep inertia — you’ll feel groggy right after waking, making performance worse than if you hadn’t napped at all.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Take a 10‑minute nap in the afternoon — don’t sleep half an hour” to Future Me's calendar

The routine already works until the day the source says it may not.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-012
Evidence Btime-energy

Using earplugs or finding a quiet room for memory-heavy tasks in open offices

在开放式办公室工作时用耳塞或找安静房间做需要记忆的活

When background noise rises from 39 dB to 51 dB, people remember fewer words, feel more tired, and are less motivated to work. Watching nature videos with sound during breaks helps restore energy far better than continuing to endure office noise.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Using earplugs or finding a quiet room for memory-heavy tasks in open offices” to Future Me's calendar

There is no immediate alarm, so the sensible choice can wait for a less busy week.

Today I keep a little money, a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-013
Evidence Btime-energy

Do not work more than 49 hours per week

别把每周工作时间一味往上加：过了 49 小时上下，多干一小时多出的活越来越少

Records from British munitions factories during World War I show that when workers kept weekly hours under 49, output rose in direct proportion to the time spent working. Once they exceeded 49 hours, the growth rate began to drop. Output from workers putting in 70 hours per week was practically identical to that of those working 56 hours — those extra 14 hours yielded no additional results. In total, this data covers a period spanning 100 years.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Do not work more than 49 hours per week” to Future Me's calendar

Future Me has a clearer calendar, more patience, and apparently the same responsibilities.

Today I keep a little money, a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-014
Evidence Btime-energy

When you notice yourself endlessly replaying a distressing memory, do something hands‑on instead

发现自己在反复回想同一件糟心事时，换个需要动手的活

Endlessly dwelling on the same bad memory won’t yield any answers. It only deepens depression, cements negative thoughts, makes it harder to solve problems or take action, and can drive away friends who’d otherwise listen. As soon as you realize you’re stuck in this cycle, get busy with a physical task.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “When you notice yourself endlessly replaying a distressing memory, do something hands‑on instead” to Future Me's calendar

If I do not open the notes, no new task has technically appeared.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-015
Evidence Blifespan

Treat thoughts like “things will definitely get worse” as symptoms, not as facts

把「事情肯定会更糟」这类念头当症状看，不当事实看

In a 20-year twin study, each additional step up on a pessimism scale correlated with a roughly 13% higher risk of dying during that period, and a roughly 20% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Conversely, higher optimism scores did not bring any comparable benefits. Thus, the focus should be on reducing pessimism, not on simply “being more positive.”

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Treat thoughts like “things will definitely get worse” as symptoms, not as facts” to Future Me's calendar

One more exception feels free because the bill arrives outside the current scene.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-016
Evidence Ctime-energy

Cut back on draining relationships and learn to say no to unwanted requests

减少让你消耗的人际关系，学会拒绝不想接的请求

The harm caused by a draining person is greater and more consistent than the benefits brought by a supportive one. That is why it makes sense to first reduce such relationships before trying to add healthier ones.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Cut back on draining relationships and learn to say no to unwanted requests” to Future Me's calendar

I can spend longer deciding whether to start than the small action would take.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-017
Evidence Btime-energy

Walk away when angry; treat the other person as weather, not an enemy

生气时先离场，把对方当天气而不是当敌人

Reframing what just happened or trying to see things from the other person’s perspective can genuinely lower emotional intensity; the latter approach works especially well. Simply suppressing emotions has no effect. Additionally, people who punish those who offend them end up dwelling on the incident far longer afterward; those who do not retaliate move on more quickly. People also tend to overestimate how satisfying revenge actually is.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Walk away when angry; treat the other person as weather, not an enemy” to Future Me's calendar

The routine already works until the day the source says it may not.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-018
Evidence Atime-energy

Best low-cost actions when you’re feeling down: move, get sunlight, stick to a schedule, talk to someone, call 12356

情绪低落时先做性价比最高的几件事：动起来、晒太阳、按时睡、找人说、打 12356

Extensive clinical trial data confirm that brisk walking and running produce the strongest benefits for depression, with yoga and strength training also helpful — the greater the intensity, the better the effect. Sunlight therapy works very well for seasonal depression and also helps with non‑seasonal cases. Online self‑guided cognitive‑behavioral therapy programs are effective; having a therapist guide you makes them even better, especially if your symptoms are moderate to severe. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, dial 12356 first.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Best low-cost actions when you’re feeling down: move, get sunlight, stick to a schedule, talk to someone, call 12356” to Future Me's calendar

There is no immediate alarm, so the sensible choice can wait for a less busy week.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-019
Evidence Ctime-energy

Treat police officers, doctors, and bank tellers as rule‑following workers, not as archetypes: paperwork and deadlines — not emotions — drive results.

把警察、医生、柜员当成按规则上班的人，别当成角色：能推动事情的是文书和期限，不是情绪

Children tend to think “police exist to catch bad guys; doctors exist to heal people.” Adults should instead view these professionals as employees bound by job rules, paperwork, deadlines, and oversight. How friendly they are has little bearing on whether your task gets done or how quickly. What matters is obtaining receipts, noting deadlines, and filing appeals through proper channels — not winning an intellectual debate.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Treat police officers, doctors, and bank tellers as rule‑following workers, not as archetypes: paperwork and deadlines — not emotions — drive results.” to Future Me's calendar

Future Me has a clearer calendar, more patience, and apparently the same responsibilities.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-020
Evidence Atime-energy

Don’t make “how others are doing” a daily habit: set limits on apps that show peers’ updates or turn them off

别把「别人过得怎么样」当每日必读：给刷同龄人动态的应用设限或关掉

People who habitually compare themselves to others online tend to feel worse emotionally and have lower self‑esteem. Pooled clinical findings show a consistent correlation between upward social comparison and poorer psychological outcomes. Correlation does not equal causation, but randomized trials back this link: after four weeks without Facebook, participants reported a slight rise in happiness. Another study limited three major platforms to 10 minutes per day; after three weeks, loneliness and depression both declined. The trade‑off? Knowledge of current events also dropped during those four weeks of abstinence.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Don’t make “how others are doing” a daily habit: set limits on apps that show peers’ updates or turn them off” to Future Me's calendar

If I do not open the notes, no new task has technically appeared.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-021
Evidence Btime-energy

When you feel like “everyone saw me make a fool of myself,” cut that estimate in half.

觉得「所有人都看见我出丑了」的时候，把这个估计除以二

Imagine someone wearing an embarrassing T‑shirt into a room full of people. On average, they estimate that 46% of onlookers can identify who the shirt depicts; the actual figure is only 23%, exactly half as much. When they wear a T‑shirt of their own choosing that they consider decent, the estimate jumps to 48% while the true rate drops to just 8% — a six‑fold difference. Other studies show that after a conversation, people consistently underestimate how much their partner likes them. Thus, the belief that “I messed up and everyone noticed” is itself an over‑estimate; cutting it in half still leaves it too high.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “When you feel like “everyone saw me make a fool of myself,” cut that estimate in half.” to Future Me's calendar

One more exception feels free because the bill arrives outside the current scene.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-022
Evidence Blifespan

Treat “others expect me to be perfect” as a symptom, not a fact

把「别人要求我做到完美」当症状看，不当事实看

The correlation between the feeling of “people around me expect me to be perfect and will reject me if I fail” and suicidal thoughts is 0.28. When the phrasing changes to “I myself expect myself to be perfect,” the correlation drops to just 0.10. The real risk does not come from having high standards per se, but from perceiving those standards as being imposed by others. Even after accounting for pre-existing suicidal thoughts, the former feeling still helps predict an increase in such thoughts over time.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Treat “others expect me to be perfect” as a symptom, not a fact” to Future Me's calendar

I can spend longer deciding whether to start than the small action would take.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-023
Evidence Atime-energySource-sensitive

When angry, don’t try to vent by smashing things, punching a bag, or going for a run — first calm your body down.

生气时别靠砸东西、打沙袋、跑一圈来发泄，先让身体慢下来

Activities that rev up the body — like punching a bag, throwing things, or going for a run — generally don’t help you cool off. On the other hand, techniques that calm the body, such as slow breathing, mindfulness, and meditation, noticeably reduce anger and the urge to lash out.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “When angry, don’t try to vent by smashing things, punching a bag, or going for a run — first calm your body down.” to Future Me's calendar

The routine already works until the day the source says it may not.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-024
Evidence Btime-energySource-sensitive

Writing down thoughts and feelings about a troubling issue over several days can be helpful, but don’t expect it to cure anything

心里压着一件事，可以连着几天把想法和感受写下来，但别指望它治病

Writing about upsetting matters generally provides a small benefit on average, though the results are inconsistent. Two meta-analyses found no effect at all. Since it costs almost nothing, it’s worth trying. However, if emotional problems are severe, it should not replace professional medical care.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Writing down thoughts and feelings about a troubling issue over several days can be helpful, but don’t expect it to cure anything” to Future Me's calendar

There is no immediate alarm, so the sensible choice can wait for a less busy week.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
03-025
Evidence Atime-energySource-sensitive

Treat period pain and seek gynecological care when symptoms disrupt life or do not improve

痛经就吃布洛芬这类止痛药，别硬扛；痛到耽误上班上学、吃三个月药也压不住，就去妇科查

Trials found anti-inflammatory pain medicines can reduce menstrual pain. Persistent pain, deep pain during sex, or symptoms that disrupt school or work warrant medical assessment for causes such as endometriosis.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Treat period pain and seek gynecological care when symptoms disrupt life or do not improve” to Future Me's calendar

Future Me has a clearer calendar, more patience, and apparently the same responsibilities.

Today I keep a little money, a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off

Source snapshot: a994b6a0c90598b0fe15cb837343f438dbf7b95d. Every original stays available in Chinese alongside the English edition.