Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Effort points and daily life....
#1
I think i've figured out a system to judge whether or not you will actually be able to do "something", be it hobby, work around the house, call some friends over for dinner, etc. etc. based on how much effort we want to put into something.

Here's how it works.

Any given person starts off with a base number of effort points in a day. Let's say..I start out with 10 effort points for the day. These are points that I spend on "activities" that go outside of the scope of my everyday life. Also note that the number of effort points you start out with depends on factors like sleep, food intake, previous day's experience, etc. etc.

For example, getting up and going to work during the week costs no effort points, since this is a fairly mandatory activity, however, this effort can also be modified by other factors...such as going to the beach instead of work, drinking the night before, etc. etc. So just because something is a "given" or "necessary" activity, doesn't mean it can't be overridden by something else.

Which brings me to the topic of effort threshhold. Effort threshold is the % that you will actually do an activity, so long as it is within your effort point limit. Every single activity has it's own effort threshold which is in turn affected by modifiers. For example. After coming home from work, with a full 10 effort points intact, I may have to cut the grass, which will take up a whopping 8 effort points just on it's own. The base effort threshold we'll say is 50%. So I have a 1 in 2 chance of actually cutting the grass, because I really don't want to, but it has to be done. The modifiers involved are:

- A naggy g/f for not cutting the grass...increasing my chances of actually cutting the grass by 20%. Now the chances of me cutting the grass are 70%.

- as a deterrent, I may be distracted by video games, or something on TV...which can add another 20%.


These are stimuli which either enhance or detract our ability to perform an action, and can vary in strength. Using the above example, my g/f can use some form of bribe (I'll leave that to your imagination) in order to coerce me to cut the grass, thus lowering my effort threshold to about 2%...meaning I have a 98% chance of cutting the grass.

Now, then you can start to define how much extra-curricular activities cost in terms of effort points for you.

1. Brushing teeth in the morning = 0.5 points (maybe you're late or just lazy).
2. Making your lunch = 0.5
3. Researching something on the internet for your mother-in-law = 2 points
4. Making arrangements for dinner tonight = 1-3 points.

etc. etc.

Based on this point system, you can then begin to accurately predict whether or not you'll be able to do "X" activity on the week-end or after work on a given day, because you'll have an idea of how many effort points you'll have to spend at that point, as well as knowing the % effort threshold for a given activity.

Ever say to yourself..."I don't feel like it"...or "Man, I'm mentally drained.", or maybe "I don't feel like going out or to the gym now." Of course! It's because you've run out of effort points and you need a chance to replenish them. A nap, maybe a work-out or other mindless activity can help accomplish this. Sleep is a given, as well as eating a balanced diet and exercise.

Looking ahead, you can also use this to figure out what hobbies and such you'll have time for.

Am I joking about this? Kind of...but I suppose it also makes sense and probably could be "measured" somehow. But I have found at times I reach a point where I could do 10 things in an hour and keep going all day, or bottom out after cutting the grass on a saturday and i don't feel like doing anything anymore.

I think it would be amusing if some psychologist actually did a study and quantitatively measured how many effort points a person had on average based on given conditions. That would be interesting because you could almost "forecast" how many effort points you could/would/should have for a month even, to see what kinds of extra activities you would have effort points for....lol.


:wink:
____________________________________________________________
Magnus/Matt
Du Courage Viens La Verité

Legion: TBD
Reply
#2
Hmmm. Interesting.... Though it takes 5 effort points to make the calculations involved. :wink:

--edit--
Come to think of it, is this not really a representation of a psychological / economical decision making process? Don't we have any people of that persuasion around here?
Greets!

Jasper Oorthuys
Webmaster & Editor, Ancient Warfare magazine
Reply
#3
Greetings Magnus,
that is a very interesting and workable theory...
People are mostly taken as being able to 'deal' with certain things in life, regardless of other things that could affect their ability to do this.
(Of course, that is according to your status in life and whether you have plenty of money or servants/employees to pass the buck to .... :wink: )
If everyone was given 'effort points', depending on age, sex, health and home family conditions/comittments - properly balanced against their actual expected output during a normal month, it could solve a lot of the mental and physical stresses that cause illnesses and breakdowns.
I will give you a personal example...
I had an 'ex' who worked a 30 hour week over 3 days, at the time I worked a 7 day 50+ hour with two jobs, plus was expected to do the housework and deal with everything else..etc.
He called me 'lazy' - because whatever I did, his job was physically more demanding than mine and he 'deserved' to rest....I didn't.
The 'Effort points' system would certainly help those in a similar situation
regards
Arthes...
Cristina
The Hoplite Association
[url:n2diviuq]http://www.hoplites.org[/url]
The enemy is less likely to get wind of an advance of cavalry, if the orders for march were passed from mouth to mouth rather than announced by voice of herald, or public notice. Xenophon
-
Reply
#4
I think I wasted my 10 points already Confusedhock:
"...quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est."


a.k.a. Paul M.
Reply
#5
I agree Christina. How many times have we gotten bent out of shape because we've put undue pressure on ourselves to try and do this or that, without realistically being able to predict if we can do it or not.

Hobbies and social activities are a great example...ever get called on to make plans on the week-end and you sit there and think...gee, will I at that point really have time and energy for that?"
____________________________________________________________
Magnus/Matt
Du Courage Viens La Verité

Legion: TBD
Reply
#6
Quote:I agree Christina. How many times have we gotten bent out of shape because we've put undue pressure on ourselves to try and do this or that, without realistically being able to predict if we can do it or not.

Is it only ourselves who put the undue pressure on, or is it others who openly or sublimely 'force' us to do so..?
How many times are you made to feel that by 'failing' to carry out what is expected of you, others are let down by your actions.
Yet it is not them that are being asked to use their 'effort points' and are using their own viewpoint as to what you 'should' attain, maybe not what you can comfortably attain.
Classic example is the schoolchild who is undermined by brighter siblings or peers and whose parents insist that extra tuition and homework is needed for the child to achieve an appropriate level of 'brightness'
If the child does not have the capability of attaining the level expected, they are 'a failure' and will have to continue to 'work hard' in life to 'make up for it'

Quote:Hobbies and social activities are a great example...ever get called on to make plans on the week-end and you sit there and think...gee, will I at that point really have time and energy for that?"
Yes, I do.....you would rather sit and read than go out and 'enjoy yourself' - because the 'enjoyment' entails using energy you find is missing at the point you need it....!
How often have you felt you are 'wasting' time enoying yourself, that could be spent doing something more constructive... :wink:
Cristina
The Hoplite Association
[url:n2diviuq]http://www.hoplites.org[/url]
The enemy is less likely to get wind of an advance of cavalry, if the orders for march were passed from mouth to mouth rather than announced by voice of herald, or public notice. Xenophon
-
Reply
#7
This reminds me of a theory I heard about 15 years ago. The person stated that the brain has a certain amount of a chemical to use for activity through out the day. He used your examples of so much for this and so much for that and you might have more or less, depending on sleep, exercise etc. That’s why you can feel more exhausted form studying for exams then walking a large distance.

He believed that once you start running low of the chemical, that’s when it gets harder to think, make decisions etc. basically your burnt out until you have time to recover.

I’ve never heard anything supporting that.

PS

I had completely forgotten about that theory until your post, so thanks.
Steve
Reply
#8
No problem! That sounds like an interesting theory...I wonder who had it?
____________________________________________________________
Magnus/Matt
Du Courage Viens La Verité

Legion: TBD
Reply


Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Anyone wear roman jewellery as daily attire? JasonNovak 6 1,724 04-29-2006, 02:28 PM
Last Post: Felix Agrippa

Forum Jump: