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My mom passed away about 15 months ago, and while I have worked in emotional expression for 12 years, her passing had me feeling the most raw. I think one main thing that happened with grief for me is that I felt things so intensely, the full spectrum, and it became really hard to not suppress those feelings.

So I think the broader picture is not just grief, but feelings, especially intense feelings. If I feel sad, I want to cry, not work. If I feel tired, I want to sleep, not work. If I fall in love, I want to be with that person, not work. I think many if not most feelings can get in the way of our maximum productivity states. Maybe low level anger and focus, with a little bit of playfulness, can keep us productive, but stray too far outside of that and we don't look as productive.

I would argue, however, that we might be more productive in the long-term, because otherwise we may burn out, communicate less effectively, and become more desensitized to what people need and want, both from consumers and fellow producers.




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