Chocolate and other lifestyle aids for the Mathematician

[dslowik]

I was wondering If anyone else has found that chocolate helps get you in the mood for some math. I mix straight cocoa with some milk now to avoid the sugar; it is a bit bitter but still pleasant. And seems to sooth my mind and help to concentrate on some math. A good nights' sleep is a definite plus too.

Any other helpful hints people know of? Adderall, caffeine, exercise...

 

[flyingpig]

I like Kinder's chocolates. I mean not the egg one, but the bar ones.

 

[mege]

I've found that I study and work better at a particular time of the day, and at another part of the day it's near impossible for me to focus and work.

Slowly, I am trying to force myself to work during that unproductive part of the day - because I know that not everything will follow my biological mindcycle ;)

 

[jhae2.718]

Choco Leibniz* cookies don't hurt.


*Named after Gottfried Wilhelm, of course.

 

[chiro]

I was wondering If anyone else has found that chocolate helps get you in the mood for some math. I mix straight cocoa with some milk now to avoid the sugar; it is a bit bitter but still pleasant. And seems to sooth my mind and help to concentrate on some math. A good nights' sleep is a definite plus too.

Any other helpful hints people know of? Adderall, caffeine, exercise...

Well I think chocolate has aphrodisiac type properties, so maybe that helps.

 

[micromass]

Ah yes, hot chocolate and mathematics go great together...
Other things that work good for me:

- classical music in the background (preferably music that goes epic whenever I understand something new),
- rain/snow/lightning outside,
- some room for me to pace while thinking,
- a shotgun to silence anybody/anything that disturbs me.

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

Shotgun, nuclear bombs, whatever makes other people calmer... :-D

 

[ahsanxr]

Heavy metal music, period.

 

[Mépris]

I work much better between 10 p.m and 2 a.m and things get better the more I approach 2 a.m (or the more I work?). Shame I'm usually dead tired around that time on most days.

 

[217 MeV]

Definitely exercise, I joined a gym 7 months ago and my grades have been improving even with less time to study per week.

 

[zif.]

I work much better between 10 p.m and 2 a.m and things get better the more I approach 2 a.m (or the more I work?). Shame I'm usually dead tired around that time on most days.

My prime timeslot is 11pm - 4am.

I was able to get away with this my first semester because my earliest start was a lab at 10:00am on Tuesdays and classes at 11:30am the other days. The second semester I had some 8:30am starts and had to knock it off.

I pretty much have to sequester myself somewhere quiet that's not my room if I want to be nearly as productive. (Library works well, but I've also found The Forgotten Carrel on the top floor of the science building.)

I've been trying to 'toughen up' and be able to work anywhere by working in places like the cafeteria, but the late night sessions are still the best.