...on digital gardening

Scheduler

• the part of an operating system that decides what work goes first (if any)

Processor

• the part of a computer that does work

Interrupt

• something that snaps you out of a process

Scheduler:Processor ratio must be delicately maintained

• Processor-heavy imbalance: hard work in no direction - waste of energy

  • diagnostic example: if the first thing you do when you enter the garden is check emails, you are likely Processor-heavy
• Scheduler-heavy imbalance: overengineering, no progress

switch through emptiness

• example:

  1. (Processor) finish reading enlightening article
  2. [Interrupt] goto empty (e.g. 'blank' screen/wallpaper/desktop)
  3. (Scheduler) decide what is important in your remaining life
  4. ( Sch:Pro ) garden accordingly

• counter-example:

  1. (Processor) finish reading enlightening article
  2. (Processor) close tab without thinking
  3. (Processor) get sucked into mundane emails
  4. (Processor) live like this forever

carefully maintain Interrupts and reactions

• uncontrollable Interrupts

  • can be extremely upsetting, but the world usually does not care.
  • only way to make it less upsetting is to practice getting less upset.

• controllable Interrupts

  • these are to be carefully and intentionally laid by the Scheduler
  • remove them with somewhat less caution
  • where do you make balance mistakes? Schedule an Interrupt there.
  • where do your important processes fail to complete? Remove Interrupts there.

  • Pro-!>Sch examples:

    • process complete -!> goto empty, become the Scheduler
    • body hurts -!> goto empty, become Scheduler, goto sleep

choose a wallpaper image/animation so compelling that much of your time in the garden is spent watching it.

• this will help break you out of the Processor back into the Scheduler when you inevitably lose yourself in the work
• if you do not feel compelled to stare at your wallpaper/desktop background image frequently, your background is not compelling enough and will lead to poor (Processor-heavy) gardening

• iOS example:

  • move all apps one screen to the right
  • switch through screen 1 (compelling wallpaper)

  • goto empty before locking device

    • (means you will arrive at empty when opening device)

  • over time, should lead to Scheduler-first mobile-gardening

    • can take years to grow, given depth of necessary dopamine reprogramming