How do you stay productive with Arch?

snailatspace · 2024-06-06 09:02:53

Productivity is a real issue for me when I use arch, because every time I sit down to do something useful, I get distracted by all the nitpicks in my system, so I don't actually get anything done and instead spend 6 hours trying to autostart dwmbar. Is this an common issue, and if so, how can one avoid it?

Awebb · 2024-06-06 12:26:17

You either learn discipline or you don't. People have been trying to solve this problem programmatically with little success for decades. It's either work time or play time.

Set yourself a time limit for tinkering. If it doesn't work after a quarter of an hour, then live with it and get shit done.

gxt25 · 2024-06-06 12:28:10

Arch is a customizable distro. Once I finished my set up, zero issues on any kind of regular basis. Sounds to me like you haven't finished setting things up to your liking yet. This is especially true with window managers and no DE. You have to get things working the way you need them working first. Maybe you need specific help with your set up (which should be a specific question in the appropriate section of the forum)?

icar · 2024-06-06 12:30:47

I use Gnome, so I don't have much to customise and instead focus on working.

fmc000 · 2024-06-06 12:54:27

Actually I use Plasma6 which is by definition the most customizable of all the DEs but I manage to be absolutely productive nonetheless. In short, PEBKAC.

Trilby · 2024-06-06 13:35:09

While I agree with most of the above, I believe the tone of the thread is turning a bit harsh. My primary note would be that the "with Arch" should be dropped from this question as it's really a red-herring.

If you're struggling at being productive, that's a problem to solve - but I'd wager neither arch, nor your WM/DE choices has much to do with that. When you're not productive you may spend a lot of time tinkering with dwm, or some other aspect of your arch system. But if you weren't using an OS that provided such customization, I doubt you'd suddenly be more productive - you'd just find some other outlet / distraction. You'd have the most organized sock drawer, the cleanest bathroom, or the top score in some online sudoku competition.

Your arch system may be the direction in which your unproductive time is currently flowing, but I doubt it is the source of it (if you really think it is, then stop using arch!) And as such the solutions to this problem are not to be found here. More likely it will be in therapy, or support groups for such problems. Do not misread this - I'm not saying "get therapy" as an insult (it's sad that such statements are often used that way) - rather I mean this genuinely. All of us can struggle with issues that hinder our productivity whether they be stress, anxiety, depression, etc, etc; and it is easy to focus on the distractions we engage in as the problem (i.e., tinkering with arch ... or spending a lot of time on arch forums), but these activities in and of themselves are not the issue. And tech forums are not a place to find good help for the actual issues behind this.

Also consider if there is any validity in my thoughts here, that tinkering with your WM, or spending too much time on these forums, (or organizing your sock drawer), are each cheaper, healthier, and safer outlets than what some others would go to for similar reasons. It's better to tinker with DWM than to get into online gambling, or day drinking, or binge shopping, etc. If any habits get in the way of your productivity, you should seek to put some limits on them - but at the same time, we all have habits that serve as outlets, and as "useless" habits go, tinkering with arch is a pretty darn good one to allow some time for.

Last edited by Trilby (2024-06-06 13:38:56)

gjvdheiden · 2024-06-18 08:00:10

Maybe a career switch? Something like a DevOps engineer maybe? You can thinker all day long. "Problem" solved.

I do keep my configs intentionally as simple and little as possible. Everything you change /add must me maintained.

If something bugs me I write it down and look for it later. I use neovim as an ide, you can really go wild with the config and plugins. But if I go across something that isn't as nice as I want it, I work around it for the time being.

Elyrial · 2024-06-21 22:03:32

Trilby wrote:

While I agree with most of the above, I believe the tone of the thread is turning a bit harsh. My primary note would be that the "with Arch" should be dropped from this question as it's really a red-herring.
If you're struggling at being productive, that's a problem to solve - but I'd wager neither arch, nor your WM/DE choices has much to do with that. When you're not productive you may spend a lot of time tinkering with dwm, or some other aspect of your arch system. But if you weren't using an OS that provided such customization, I doubt you'd suddenly be more productive - you'd just find some other outlet / distraction. You'd have the most organized sock drawer, the cleanest bathroom, or the top score in some online sudoku competition.
Your arch system may be the direction in which your unproductive time is currently flowing, but I doubt it is the source of it (if you really think it is, then stop using arch!) And as such the solutions to this problem are not to be found here. More likely it will be in therapy, or support groups for such problems. Do not misread this - I'm not saying "get therapy" as an insult (it's sad that such statements are often used that way) - rather I mean this genuinely. All of us can struggle with issues that hinder our productivity whether they be stress, anxiety, depression, etc, etc; and it is easy to focus on the distractions we engage in as the problem (i.e., tinkering with arch ... or spending a lot of time on arch forums), but these activities in and of themselves are not the issue. And tech forums are not a place to find good help for the actual issues behind this.
Also consider if there is any validity in my thoughts here, that tinkering with your WM, or spending too much time on these forums, (or organizing your sock drawer), are each cheaper, healthier, and safer outlets than what some others would go to for similar reasons. It's better to tinker with DWM than to get into online gambling, or day drinking, or binge shopping, etc. If any habits get in the way of your productivity, you should seek to put some limits on them - but at the same time, we all have habits that serve as outlets, and as "useless" habits go, tinkering with arch is a pretty darn good one to allow some time for.

I completely agree with this viewpoint, though I feel the emphasis on dramatic elements might have been overstated. Essentially, the decision between Arch Linux and its potential impact on your productivity comes down to personal preference and suitability. Arch Linux stands out for its high degree of customizability, allowing users to tailor their systems exactly to their needs. However, this flexibility requires a proactive approach to troubleshooting and solving issues independently.

If Arch Linux significantly hampers your productivity, considering more user-friendly alternatives like Manjaro or EndeavourOS could be advantageous. These distributions maintain the essence of Arch but offer added support and ease of use, which might enhance your workflow. My preference for Arch lies in the educational opportunities it offers; facing challenges often leads to a deeper understanding and system optimization. Nonetheless, if time is a constraint, opting for a more stable platform like Debian or Fedora could free up valuable resources for your core tasks.

There might be another post regarding your actual issue tho

Awebb · 2024-06-22 07:16:55

This thread is a case study and I think I've learned my lesson.

Arch Linux

#1 2024-06-06 09:02:53

How do you stay productive with Arch?

#2 2024-06-06 12:26:17

Re: How do you stay productive with Arch?

#3 2024-06-06 12:28:10

Re: How do you stay productive with Arch?

#4 2024-06-06 12:30:47

Re: How do you stay productive with Arch?

#5 2024-06-06 12:54:27

Re: How do you stay productive with Arch?

#6 2024-06-06 13:35:09

Re: How do you stay productive with Arch?

#7 2024-06-18 08:00:10

Re: How do you stay productive with Arch?

#8 2024-06-21 22:03:32

Re: How do you stay productive with Arch?

#9 2024-06-22 07:16:55

Re: How do you stay productive with Arch?

Board footer