The right coffee break, or how I quit drinking coffee

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

This story began a long time ago. I remember, even in Soviet childhood, my mother occasionally took out Brazilian coffee in a kind of tin can that looked like a fat puck. A magical brown powder that only adults could drink …

I started using it much later. Maybe in 1996, or maybe in 1998, when I had already finished school and was visiting my father. He poured glass after glass into himself, and I decided to keep up with him. How much coffee I drank then, now I don’t remember, more than 20 years have passed. But how much I drank it now is known for sure: from 7 to 10 cups a day. No morning could begin without a mug of coffee; followed by the second. Not a single business could be started just like that: first, let's drink some coffee … With health, it seems to be in order, continue to drink for yourself … However.

My life proceeded as follows. I got up quite early (at 6 o'clock, plus or minus), and before work began - until 9 o'clock, minding my own business: either running in the morning, or something else; during this time pouring into itself several (3-4) cups of coffee. Then he went to work, poured coffee there, and began to program for the glory of the tsar and the fatherland. While continuing to lean on coffee. Then I went to lunch, ate quickly, and fell on the sofa - it was vital for me to sleep. At least half an hour. I returned to work, there I was stupid for a couple of hours after lunch, again leaned on coffee, and closer to five o'clock the convolutions again began to move a little. After six I returned home and did not want to do anything else. I felt mortally tired, and my only desire was to fall on the couch and sleep. But it was too early to sleep … And the most offensive thing is that life just passes by. I have the time: until 10 o'clock there is still a lot of things that can be done, but I have neither the strength nor the desire for anything. So, I somehow made it to the evening: a movie, or a book, or some other useless occupation - and sleep. In the morning I will get up, drink coffee, life will become better, life will become more fun.

And all would be fine, but in the morning, (when life became more fun), different thoughts visited my fresh mind. Thoughts that life should be changed. That it would be good to earn more, and indeed. And this requires an effort. Well, for example, expand and deepen your knowledge of 1C programming. And also read the Internet about problems with the car, complete the digitization, etc. There are many good and important things to do. But the morning is a sacred time - it is not a desire to spend on it; there is no time at work, and in the evening there is no energy. There are still days off, but here you want to relax. The result is a vicious circle, the exit from which is not visible. You can, of course, have some more coffee and force yourself to do something. But I already got tired of this approach …

It cannot be said that I did not realize this before: half a year ago, I linked all these symptoms, namely, dullness and drowsiness after dinner, as well as a complete breakdown in the evening, with coffee. Then I tried to quit drinking coffee, but immediately faced with the fact that the brain could not start thinking. But that's my whole job. The programmer earns by thinking with his head. Therefore, I decided - okay, I'll have a glass now, I will whip up my brain if necessary, gradually reducing the amount to zero. It was then that I got myself a sign in which I marked each glass I drank (so I know for sure). But it was difficult to decrease smoothly; but the enthusiasm and determination in this matter quite smoothly decreased, exactly to zero. And the Marlezon ballet continued. By the way, I must add that in the morning it was not all that fun. Yes, after the first glass, cheerfulness came abruptly; but then there was tension and a feeling of fatigue. This vigor lasted for a limited time. And therefore, the next portion was required.

It all ended with the fact that one Friday I drank (one-two-three-four-five) coffee, came to work, and said that today I was taking a day off on account of my vacation, and I was going for a walk. For, I need to THINK. And there is something to think about: for several months there have been goals for which nothing is being done due to a lack of energy. All strength is eaten away by work. There is no more left for anything. By the way, I also have accumulated complaints about my work. And therefore, it is impossible to continue like this, we must find a way out. Either solve something with work (to free up some of the time), or …

I came home, drank coffee, and began to think. And in the end, my thoughts brought me back to the old conclusion: COFFEE. It's because of him that I want to sleep all the time. It is because of him that I often refuse to eat at lunch in order to preserve the ability to think. It’s because of him that I have time in the evening, but it’s no use at all. It is possible that the bald spot on my head has grown because of him. But most importantly, because of him, the achievement of my goals in general is questionable. And having understood all this, I decided - enough is enough! From that moment on, I stopped drinking coffee.

(So far, for a while, I replaced it with tea. Black tea, with lemon, 2-3 glasses a day. Well, so as not to upset myself with torment too much)

It was Friday. Yes, I also read the knowledge source (internet) on this topic. They say that "British scientists" have figured out that it is better to quit gradually, otherwise there may be symptoms: from mild malaise and apathy towards life, to headaches. I sent "British scientists" to remove snow in Siberia in winter with their gradualness, but noted for myself that a transitional period (from a week to a month) awaits me. And also that it will pass, and then the star of normal life will rise in full force. It was all Friday; on weekends, I did not particularly strain, I slept as much as I wanted, but on Monday this transition period fell on my head. I came to work, sat down on a chair and realized that I didn't want to work at all. From the word "absolutely". Then I went to the management and announced my desire to go on vacation ahead of schedule. Straight from this morning. But, I was told that you can go on vacation, but only on schedule, you will have to wait. Then I returned to my chair and began to think that perhaps I should quit. Because, as I said, I don't want to work at all. And I can't. Yes, yes, I know, there is a magic jar of brown powder in my nightstand. And as soon as you unleash him with water and sugar, the world will turn upside down, goals will rise, and they will go marching with songs to a brighter future. I know this, but I did not even consider this option. But quitting is a topic! Having dreamed a little about freedom, my brain somehow managed to strain its convolutions and said that freedom is, of course, cool. And then what? Then there will be either the same thing elsewhere, or freedom from money as well. Although … I can think of something. OK. In short, I decided to just endure. Do what I can. Eh, if I had a shovel, I would go dig. It's simple. But getting your brain to start thinking is much more difficult. Well, nothing, it will pass over time …

It was Monday. And on Wednesday I realized that I was right! It was coffee. By the end of the week, I also had dinner, I also lay down on the sofa, but I didn't really want to sleep anymore. When I came home in the evening, I now had the strength to do various things. After work, I no longer fall on the sofa to stare at the ceiling. I again took up my digitization. And soon, the body will finally be rebuilt, and I will begin to do the main thing. I can’t say yet what happened to me in a month or six months, tk. only 8 days have passed. But even now it is already clear that I am on the right track. Life goes on!