This is quite a different topic I would like to discuss this time from the usual things I come here for.
Most of us here are probably older than me, some might even consider me a kid, as being a young adult. Lately, I’ve noticed myself aging and overall; sight, reaction and movement has declined noticeable, well it also could be me imagining it to some degree.
It has still been quite a saddening factor for me and it kind of gets to me at times as I’ve only been in the workforce for a short while.
I feel like I’m in a midlife crisis
My questions to you, as it could probably enlighten me a bit:
How do you treat yourself to be physically and mentally fit?
How do you deal with aging?
How can one make IT work less detrimental to health?
Alvast bedankt, although I am somewhat of an absurdist, this physical decay still affects me.
I agree. I floated for several decades on my competition swimming training I did from 7 to about 20 years old. But I also work in construction for my adult life. I just turned 61 and have been doing stretching exercises and strength exercises for about 5-6 years. Had double knee replacement surgery last year. It’s been a tough comeback. I wish I had kept up my training regimen while working construction. That would have made my recovery much easier.
So, do stretching. Do strength training. Do it every day after work. Or before. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Half hour to an hour a day.
You also need to accept that you can no longer compete with kids with not much, but free time in their hands against you Dota 2s, CS:GOs and related games. Older pros rely on experience and good reads on the situation which if you arent playing on that kind of level, would be unreachable for the rest of us.
Let go of competitive online multiplayer gaming. It also hurts because now that you have the money to buy top tier devices, it really wont ease the pain if losing a passionate match on your limited free time.
You could still play all these games, but taper the expectation accordingly. Set your own victory condition. You sure as hell are going to have a hard time achieving the game’s own proper victory condition. This also means you might ruin the game for other people, especially in ranked games, so dont play those.
Yeah I do less well at the games I’m replaying a decade later, but just because mybaverage is lower, doesn’t mean I should be taken out back and put me out of your misery!
Games often have matchmaking… Let the game relegate us to a lower/worse teir…
My ego and I came to an agreement more then a few years ago. I ignore it and it leaves me alone.
My self-image? Hang on while i look in the closet … yep, it’s still there. A lot older looking and a lot grayer. But still holding up fairly well. I think that if I leave it alone it will be fine.
Aging? How do I deal with it? Let’s see …
I am getting older, and nothing I can do about it. It just happens. So I just let it. On occasions it gets in the way. But then when I was 20, being 20 got in the way too. Not much difference that I can see.
My advise?
Wake up tomorrow. Deal with life as it happens. And enjoy every minute of it. You can’t go back to yesterday. And tomorrow never gets here. Worrying about them can only ruin today.
Gaming? Lol. I was never worth a shit at it. Still not. But I play everyday. Difference is that now I play games that it really doesn’t matter if I am or not. Anyone else remember Pong and Bambi vs. Godzilla?
Keep mentally fit by always challenging yourself further and further. Do the impossible.
Physical fitness is easier. I am more of a fan of compound exercises now than in my 20’s.
Vidya game wise, I haven’t seen any decline (I am in my 40’s). My hands are just as quick as when I was 17, I just don’t have time to put in the practice due to work and family life.
It wasn’t until I passed 50 that my body reminded me that I’m not a spring chicken anymore. And while maybe I can’t do all night gaming/coding sessions fueled by excessive mountain dew, I can still impress my stepkids when they need to move all their stuff to a new place. Physically, I’m in better shape, but I do have to remember my limitations (hypertension means no excessive caffeine). It helps that I need to walk to places since my sight no longer allows me to drive.
A lot of getting older is accepting one’s limitations, but embracing the advantages of having lived in a different age than younger folk. As you have been there and done that. Use your experience and knowledge that has been well-earned to your advantage. There will always be someone physically stronger and even smarter, but they haven’t seen what you have.
tbh if your physically fit and no health issues theres no real reason to feel your age.
52 and still bombing hills on my bike sure it takes a little longer than it used to, to get up there. but i also get to appreciate the view for longer, before i scare the shit outta myself on the way down .
I un-retired during COVID because my wife’s work dried up. The only firm advice I can give is to diligently take notes.
I’m appalled sometimes at what some developers have not been taught about (data structures, test-driven development, branches, backups, normalization…) but I suppose I’m similarly unaware of stuff I don’t know.
I started going back to the gym at the beginning of the year and just spending a full hour in it really does it for me. The only downside for me is having to go at late hours of the day which messes with my sleeping a tad. Also trying to improve my eating habits starting with smaller meals, like breakfast and snacks.
First thing is make your station as ergonomic as possible:
good posture
enough space to rest your hands and forearms as you type
conside ergonomic peripherals
comfy chair
monitor slightly below your line of sight
use reading mode and low blue light filters on your display(s)
keep the brightness coherent with the room lighting
avoid reflections on the display from windows or lights.
About good habits while working:
take breaks to get up and look around
don’t forget to drink just water
use eye drops at the first signs of eye fatigue
talk to your co-workers (no need to get into their personal lives or vice versa, just small talk to get to know them a bit)
maybe cut out a 10 minute break to call your SO.
Sounds like a lot and this is what works for me. The covid break really did stop me in my tracks when it comes to good habits, but I’m working back on them as time goes by. I by no means can achieve all of that every day, but I try to.
So far aging has not really affected me, but I hope that all these small things will help me along.
Please don’t be intimidated either by the frequent fitness tracker postings if a routine such as those are unattainable at the moment. I’m in my mid 40s now with a history of joint problems and other fun stuff of that nature, so if I can do this so can anyone else.
Daily exercise really is the best thing you can do for yourself at any age.
Reading glasses. Thats new in the last few years directly related to aging.
Spending all day at some console really burned my @ home motivation to do any more on a computer. My game time waned and I didnt care much about it for almost 10yrs. My home pc just had little draw after +/- 12 hrs already juggling tables at a monitor.
Now days I do get to have an hour or more of time to play. Maybe 10hrs a week to catch up on 10yrs of missed releases.
My MTB still tells me its bored and needs a workout. My fishing gear and license whispers about dried bearings and dust after Winter. My legs ask about new long hikes w every mile finding more distance from overpopulation and too-many-rats-in-the-cage rage.
If you feel like things are declining too quickly, go see a doctor. Get your blood work done. Check your hormones. They affect everything. Get a baseline for your blood. Think of any diseases in your family. Start, keep or improve exercising. Cardio is good for the brain. Not just the heart. And as you get older, it becomes a necessity for healthy longevity.
I’ve been feeling a lot better the last while. I quit the job that I was working at the time I wrote the top post. I then started another job that offered me 100% WFH, an okay salary nice co-workers.
I also started doing more courses, going outside camping, traveling, meeting friends and eating a bit better. Also taking up languages, discord moderation, radio amateur courses(a lot of new stuff, I’m a bit perplexed still), trying to date someone I met.
I’m feeling better than for a long while. I don’t remember when I last been doing this well.
I still some times look into the mirror and notice the aging, but other than that, I don’t really care, I charge forward like the cavalry.
My only routine so far is work. But to offload my brain a bit I’ve tried to use a calendar to mark courses and other events that are a bit further away. Also some times I journal when I just need some one to talk so I can sleep without thinking about things for hours. But I haven’t been in that situation for months now either, so things are on an upswing.
sure it takes a little longer than it used to, to get up there. but i also get to appreciate the view for longer, before i scare the shit outta myself on the way down 
