How could my focus power improve?

Okay, I have already described in my earlier posts how difficult it has been for me to focus at a single task. I still remember how difficult it has been. But lately, I have sensed something strange with me. Even I am surprised how it could be. In the past days, I have been able to focus on my current tasks almost effortlessly.

I am writing this post to document what all changes have come in my lifestyle, intentionally or not. This will help me understand what is that thing that is working for me.

• First, I have stopped sleeping early. I have tried this for 3 semesters now, and it didn't work. So, this semester I have started waking up till late at night ( around 2 am ) and I wake up at around 8-9 am.
  
  Now, two things are here to be noticed. Firstly, I am sleeping late at night, and secondly I am now sleeping for only 6-7 hours a day. While earlier, I, many a days, used to sleep for 9-10 hours. So, forcibly reducing my sleep has done this good to me? May be.
  
• Secondly, I now use a calendar, where I mark the tasks that I have to do, and once I complete those tasks that I move on to other tasks.
• May be this is just an after effect of first point but right now I am doing a lot of hard work, and I mean it. I can feel it, seriously. Which in itself makes me happy.
• Earlier, I used to start a task and not finish it, but now I take a task, and I finish it most of the time. This makes sure that there are no dangling pointers in my head. This may be a key ingredient here.

I can think of all this only. I will update it if I realize that there is something more to all this. Till then, keep going !

And yeah, I have not yet written my experiences of ACM ICPC Chennai regionals. I will write that one too in the next few days.

Break time : Starting my journey to Chennai tomorrow !!

Time for a break.

Not exactly, as I would still be solving algorithmic problems. But not from UVAoj. I would be leaving tomorrow from here for ACM ICPC Chennai regionals.

Guess what I didn't know a day back what I would be doing during all my journey. During an interaction with a junior, I realised the contest problems given for IITB internship are quite challenging. ( My definition of challenging is a problem that I can't think of a solution for in a few seconds )

So, yeah those are challenging. So, I would be spending my time with them only, and ofcourse how can one forget the Cormen book. And I guess these two are more than to make the journey lively.

See you all on the Republic Day of India.

Till then, ek break to banta hai yaar !

UVA 10258 : Contest Scoreboard

This problem will always remind me how important it is to read the problem carefully. Very carefully. Most of the mistakes that I did could have been avoided, had I read the problem statement with patience.

Mistakes I did :

1. I didn't read what was required in the output correctly. They asked for all those who have made a submission, I rather gave the output only for those contestants who made a correct submission.
   
2. I didn't take care of the test case where the user will submit the correct output for the same problem more than once. I thought of it while starting to program, but then ignored it. Big mistake, indeed !

One mistake that I was going to do, was I didn't yet got what to do if user submits wrong answer after a correct submission. Guess what?! It was clearly mentioned what's needed to be done in the question itself. My first mistake saved me from this one.

I also learned a few new C++ features, namely, stable_sort, peek, get. I am yet to understand how to use stable_sort properly.

[5:57 PM] And yeah, I made another mistake just now. Foolish me!! Once again I have to say that I didn't read the problem properly because I missed the case that there is no penalty for unsolved problems. Damn it, it look a long time to correct this mistake.

I also got to know of stringstream, although I haven't used it yet.

Here is my solution for the same : https://github.com/ashwani-pandey/UVAoj-solutions/blob/master/10258.cpp

Some more motivation for goals v2 !!

Ah, these second versions. I don't like to write them, but they do happen to be a reflection of the flaws in the previous version.

In my previous post, I talked of my desire to buy bean bags. I still do want them, but the point is the ones that are available in the nearby market right now aren't good enough for the price I might be paying.

Thus, it made me think of what might be more desirable than this. Seriously?! And then it hit me. I also really want to see many a television seasons, and what could be a better reward than this.

So, the goals remain the same as in the last post, but what changes is the prize money. Actually it's not money, you know. It's the first 3 seasons of Friends. Boom!! Boy, what more could you have asked for.

I thought for a moment to just go with prize of one season, but then if the work is so hard, then the prize should be a bigger one too. Isn't it so?

Now, what you are thinking and why the hell am I typing all this rubbish?! Just go, and get it, remember laughter is at stake this time.

Halla Bol !! 

Some more motivation for goals!!

Ah, I started with this "goal" thing two days back, and wohooo guess what?! I haven't studied a single thing in the past two days. Going really fast towards my goal, doesn't I. Shit man, I want to slap myself but I have got a better idea.

Actually today I went to the market to buy bean bags, and boy, I seriously want those. When I was trying those bags, this "awesome" idea struck my mind.

I want this, right. But how badly do I want this?! The answer is I wanted to get it packed at that very moment only. And the next question is what's the most important thing I need to do right now? Well, I know in my mind and ofcourse in my blood-pumping heart too, that I need to solve those three chapters of CP book before I start with a full-swing participation in coding competitions. Even my first goal is related to this : http://thisisashwanipandey.blogspot.in/2016/01/goal-1-moving-some-steps-forward-in.html

Huh, then I guess trade is simple. At least for me. Solve the three chapters : Data structures and libraries, Problem Solving Paradigms, and Graphs. And get ready to enjoy the comfort of bean bag.

I am going to do every thing that it takes to get it done now.

Halla Bol !

Goal #1 : Moving some steps forward in competitive programming

Ah, this is one thing that I want to do the most, and I have delayed the most. So, no more delays.

The goal is simple : to solve the starred questions from the second chapter of the CP book by Steven Halim sir.

It's going to be awesome when you wake up excited to finish your task, and sleep thinking of your task. No more hassles or melodrama of making any schedule of what I will do when!!

Just adventure!! De Dana Dan Goal !

Resolution 2016 v2

Well, I wrote a resolution for myself a few days back here : http://thisisashwanipandey.blogspot.in/2016/01/resolution-2016.html.

Although it is a good one to have a healthy lifestyle, I didn't address the problem that haunted me the entire 2015. And that is : how I am going to improve my focus. Yes, this single word "focus" has been a trouble for too long now.

I need a solution now, right now.

And what I have found is that the best way to deal with the situation is to change the way I approach my work, rather than changing one of the so many daily tricks that I have applied to improve my focus.

If I change my approach towards work, focus will damn search for me itself.

What I have noticed is I have a long to-do list, a really long one with so many things to do that only I can imagine right now. And, what I do is I divide my daily time for a few activities, and my mind keeps on adding so many other stuff that I want to do in my daily activities.

Result?! I can't focus on any single thing, and nothing gets done, plus I feel sad that I did nothing.The quote fits quite perfectly here that you can dig a well only when you dig at the same place the whole day, instead of digging at so many points on the land. It will lead to no result.

So, what I am going to do now? From now on, I will write of a task, not-so-big and not-so-small, and will pursue that one only until I finish it to the level that gives me some satisfaction. And then only I will start with another task.

This will make me feel good as I could see my accomplishments, further boosting the energy in me to do more, rather than contemplating what time should I allot to which task.

Good luck, my boy. De Dana Dan Goal !