# The Quest for Structure and Discipline **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 18, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197 "2016-08-18T18:36:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/21 "2016-08-19T21:34:39Z")
Get married. Your wife will boss you around! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/22 "2016-08-19T22:00:04Z")
> [@Me\_Billy](#): > > Get married. Your wife will boss you around! Bossing **Sr. Weasel** is easy. Myself? Not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2016, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/23 "2016-08-20T13:00:46Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Thanks, everyone. I _do_ have a home office. I should use it more often. Not “more often”: 5 days a week. Any time you catch yourself saying “more often”, either put a specific schedule on it, or drop it. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/24 "2016-08-21T20:00:53Z")
Would like to put in a plug for timers. Very useful for working alone, in my experience. They work in two different ways. If you have trouble pulling yourself away from something (like The Straight Dope), decide on a self-indulgence parameter, set the timer (I just use a kitchen timer) and put it somewhere that you will have to get up to turn it off, thus breaking your activity. Second, if you have trouble starting something, decide what is the largest amount of time you know for certain you can make yourself work on it – even if it is five minutes. Set the timer – the rule is you have to work until the timer rings. Then you can either quit or, as is somehow much more likely, keep going. The latter is the best tool I found to break through writer’s block. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/25 "2016-08-21T20:13:37Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Would like to put in a plug for timers. Very useful for working alone, in my experience. Something like [this interval timer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPM2PdlE5yg) can really help, too. There are various lengths of them. They will beep every 30 minutes (or 1 or 15 or whatever) for hours. So you don’t have to reset anything. ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/26 "2016-08-22T00:17:56Z")
I have a completely unstructured, work from home life and I make a lot of to do lists plus daily and weekly schedules to track deadlines and important chores. However, I also enjoy the freedom of it and don’t try to take the schedules too seriously. No way I’m working steadily 9 to 5 five days a week; might as well get a real job. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/27 "2016-08-22T06:23:23Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Would like to put in a plug for timers. Very useful for working alone, in my experience. > [@jsgoddess](#): > > Something like [this interval timer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPM2PdlE5yg) can really help, too. There are various lengths of them. They will beep every 30 minutes (or 1 or 15 or whatever) for hours. So you don’t have to reset anything. My cellphone comes with one… I can set several timers and several alarms simultaneously, too. I only use the old fashioned kitchen timer when I want a specific reminder that “this timer is for something that’s cooking”. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/28 "2016-08-22T06:42:37Z")
How about finding a workplace within walking distance? Like one of these Seats To Meet places? Or just the library or Starbucks? ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/29 "2016-08-22T07:05:47Z")
> **[Vergader of werk samen, vind mensen, evenementen en locaties](https://www.seats2meet.com/nl)** > > Vind een vergaderruimte of werkplek die aan al je eisen voldoet en wordt verrast door onverwachte, relevante ontmoetingen. Reserveer online en gratis annuleren. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/30 "2016-08-22T07:07:21Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > How about finding a workplace within walking distance? Like one of these Seats To Meet places? Or just the library or Starbucks? For me that would be horrible; I like being in the office because, if and when it means being with my team. Otherwise, being in an office with other people means that I have to constrain my behavior, but without the benefits of being with my team. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/31 "2016-08-22T10:02:29Z")
I hope you won’t mind a slight tangent, but here are two financial habits that will help you over the years: - always pay off credit cards in full (the interest rate is very high) - start making pension arrangements as soon as possible. When I interviewed for my first serious job, they asked me if I had any questions. I replied “What is the pension fund like?” 🆒 43 years later, I’m benefiting from that! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/32 "2016-08-22T16:13:19Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I hope you won’t mind a slight tangent, but here are two financial habits that will help you over the years: > > - always pay off credit cards in full (the interest rate is very high) > - start making pension arrangements as soon as possible. > > When I interviewed for my first serious job, they asked me if I had any questions. I replied “What is the pension fund like?” 🆒 > 43 years later, I’m benefiting from that! Thanks. We PIF our credit cards every month, just exploit them for cash back. We each have decently funded IRAs but right now we’re focused on saving for adoption. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197/33 "2016-08-22T16:29:07Z")
Structure is not discipline. Structure can be rational - ie, laying out what needs doing in blocks based on priorities a guess of your available time, energy, etc. Discipline must ultimately be _irrational._ It depends on simple habit. Whatever the plan is, it must be followed daily, as formulated, regardless of circumstances like available time, energy, or changing priorities. Otherwise, habit is not formed and discipline is nonexistent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-quest-for-structure-and-discipline/763197.md?page=1)