smoking and productivity/success

[hempknowsis]

This is a subject I think about a lot when it comes to bud. The whole, "weed makes you lazy, a burnout, kills your drive and ambition, makes you slow/dumb" etc. I've personally known people on both sides of the coin. Daily smokers that were lazy and basically losers, and other guys who toke daily and are very successful and ambitious. I don't know about you guys, but for me I can't deny that if I smoke almost everyday my life is filtered through this comforting, yet, hazy experience. Smoking becomes a way to avoid reality, this comforting blanket. Is this just a lifestyle choice you kind of have to accept if you're a habitual smoker? I know there's lots of justifications that us smokers tell ourselves that convince ourselves that bud is totally fine and much better than other hard drugs(which is true), but do you really think you think you can be just as ambitious, successful, and clear headed if you're a habitual smoker? I really do enjoy smoking, I'm probably self medicating my life long depression, but I'm just giving it serious thought about whether I can both smoke, and fulfill my dream of having a successful career in practicing medicine.

 

[Stoner4Life]

I own my own crib (it's 100% mortgage free), have succeeded in many of my endeavors and failed in even more (but at least I tried)....... I can't remember a time when I didn't hold down 2 or 3 jobs at a time if I needed to make extra money. At 51 years old I was putting in up to 100 hours a week in my truck and taxi combined, sometimes 100 hours p/wk in the taxi alone.

I'm an every day toker, habitual? no, that sounds too much like 'addiction'. most of those miles driven were stoner miles, yup I'd run the risk of losing my license and costing the boss big bucks but get this....... My trucking boss (Mark) was an old stoner buddy & was very cool with my usage & my excellent track record, I was usually into work before Mark got there & I'd have his morning's work sorted & orders pulled before anyone showed up at all. I was his 'go to guy' & my regular $800 p/wk paycheck was always $1100-1200 ($1500 was my top check w/a $500 cash bonus later but for that same week~so, $2,000)because I came early & stayed late, I never said "no" to Mark and he rewarded that devotion every week. One year he even gave me two weeks vacation all expenses paid at a sweet beachfront condo in Daytona Beach, he FedExed me some extra jing because I decided to stay longer at the last minute, an offer that Mark made & I accepted. That sound lazy?

In the old days (70s/80s) in NY I'd cook and then clean up at a bar until 5am every morning & then go sling hash 'n eggs for 4 more hours at a cafe before calling it a day, stoned every goddamned greasy minute of it too. Or I'd leave that bar @ 5am and jump in a taxi and drive through rush hour for the best money then go home for some shuteye.

In the early '70s I worked for my dad during regular business hours 5 days a week, I'd go to work in a gas station 6 nights a week, sound busy yet? then on Saturday&Sunday days I'd go to the local flea market and vend leather biker goods....... eventually I gave 3 nights work at the gas station to a friend so I could keep my sweetheart happy, I worked so many hours that I couldn't squander my money so I was the first kid on the block to buy his own Mercedes, NOT having daddy pay for it, oh yeah.

I have one last occupational dream to complete and that's my restaurant project, I own the building outright, I own 95% of the equipment needed, I've bought it at auctions and sales over the years. I need an influx of cash right now & I think it's coming soon enough to nearly finish all of the plumbing & septic upgrades, I'm getting close.......

I can't be alone with a strong work ethic here, can I?​

 

[KMK0420]

Here's what I say...

Take a break from smoking for a month. Get your affairs in order, you'll be clearheaded and able to make somewhat better decisions (come on now, when you're stoned all the time the decisions you make aren't necessarily the BEST you'd make if sober. i can vouch for this as a stoner as i've made plans, hung out with people and did things i -probably- wouldn't have done sober. lmao)

Anway, get to the point where you are actively in a habit and managing your career (work/school), then introduce bud. Don't attempt to introduce practicing medicine to your bud; it's an "easter egg" of life, and indulge responsibly...unless you are sure you have no plans, then by all means, indulge irresponsibly

 

[Big D]

I would say for most people, and there are exceptions, being stoned all the time is not a good thing. I would not recommend it.

 

[KMK0420]

I agree... I love the effects of weed, but moderation is key. I actually, at this moment, am dealing with a small reoccurance of depression. I don't know if weed initially may have caused it due to my frequency of usage, it may have. But I can tell you this...if i quit smoking...for a week or two...my energy levels skyrocket, my mind clears up and my sex drive is even elevated....all GOOD things. i enjoy smoking too much to quit all that often, but normally when i run out of a bag and don't feel like buying any more, i start a small hiatus from blazin.

 

[alpinestar]

be careful not to draw yourself into a cycle where you are simply waiting and hiding from life
at that point all you can do is move on

dont put life off!

weed is only one aspect of life and it is for helping and drawing someone away from troubles using it constantly draws you away from life and eventually makes it harder to deal with typical things

perhaps its a security blanket?

 

[El Vexilix]

I grew up in Mexico . Most of us don't like to party , i mean reward ourselves , unless we put some work in .
For me , keeping busy throughout the day with those rewarding smoke breaks feels better and gits me higher than just smoking all the time for no particular reason .
No drugs , except for meth , can stop or slowdown what you can do to succeeded in life . It's up to that persons will and dedication .

 

[Gypsy Nirvana]

I tend to just save my toking for the late afternoon/evening when most all of the days work has been done....

Most varieties of cannabis muddles my mind a bit if I start too early and have too much to do.......in the evenings it just relaxes the mind and body and this leads to a comfortable sleep......

 

[JackTheGrower]

I believe no one should live on substance.

Some think it makes you lazy but cannabis is a stimulant.

When I toke I usually write C language programs that explore a small focus in Number Theory as a part of kicking back..
In this hobby creative thinking is a plus.
Lately I tried my hand again at breaking through the data compression boundary of un-compressible files. BTW no mater what I do there is a information density issues. I wish I could employ quantum bits. that would do it.

It took some training to do but I have some focus terms I use to bring my concentration back if i wander.
"And then I" is one I use to retrain my thought process when I wander.

Moderation of dose works good for me. Not that a nice round of Air drums hurts any.



The Wall of reality has no cracks I can find. Still I look.

Jack

P.S. Any Collatz Conjecture folks around?

 

[Bobby Stainless]

I smoke about a 2 grams to get going every morning. I wake up at about 4am, and start perusing my boards, and listening to the news. Start out with bowls, because I tend to gag in the mornings, with huge hits.

However, before I am out the door a 8am, I rip one big tube.

I do not carry weed with me, because I am a habitual speeder, and drive a extremely fast car.

I own 3 businesses, all of them legit.

I am a parent, dog owner, local crime watch volunteer (LMAO), avid Church goer, voter, and I help tutor kids in the bad part of town.

I could stop working now and never worry about money.

I also run a grow op out of a house, that supplies me and two other people with free weed. The two other folks are a terminally ill cancer victim, and a person dealing with chronic pain.

In a day I will smoke more than 4 grams, just me. I have been smoking this much for 15 years.

Hobbies include: Cooking, gardening, home brewing, cars, snow skiing, poker, etc. etc.


That said, I have a family member, who can't get shit done while stoned.

 

[spiritlevel]

There's lots of replies that ring 'true'!!

...Take a break from smoking for a month. Get your affairs in order, you'll be clearheaded and able to make somewhat better decisions... get to the point where you are actively in a habit and managing your career (work/school), then introduce bud... moderation is key... if i quit smoking...for a week or two...my energy levels skyrocket, my mind clears up and my sex drive is even elevated...

That is sound advice.. I been puffin da herb for years.. I've had some great ideas while stoned, but too stoned to kick start the majority. A little break, or reduction from 8+ joints per day to just the one, can be a great help if there are life changes you wanna make.

...being stoned all the time is not a good thing. I would not recommend it.

That should be a stoner rule.. It's nice to be baked all day and night, but if you have a 'life' ahead of you and you need to make life's big plans, then some sober time is deffo required!!

be careful not to draw yourself into a cycle where you are simply waiting and hiding from life.. ..at that point all you can do is move on.. ..dont put life off! ... weed is only one aspect of life and it is for helping and drawing someone away from troubles using it constantly draws you away from life and eventually makes it harder to deal with typical things...

Very good point and can occur very easily.. Those dreamy strains have gotten me into a state of putting life off.. It can have very negative effects on one's life falling into this type of cycle.

...Most of us don't like to ... reward ourselves ... unless we put some work in. ... keeping busy throughout the day with those rewarding smoke breaks feels better and gits me higher than just smoking all the time for no particular reason...

Chonging a phatty after doing work is a way of encouraging self to be active before couchlocked.. I'm doing a degree and tend not to toke during the day as I'm studying. After study, 1 little joint is all I now need to get a nice high.. From time to time a couple tokes gives me more fuel to do an extra few hours of study, and a bit of wake and bake has given me inspiration for essays.. So far so good, I'm still growing some good erb and harvesting every 4 weeks.. Keeping busy is good for folks who would otherwise chill and have a bong hit.

As mentioned...

I tend to just save my toking for the late afternoon/evening when most all of the days work has been done... Most varieties of cannabis muddles my mind a bit if I start too early and have too much to do.......in the evenings it just relaxes the mind and body and this leads to a comfortable sleep......

Good advice.. I don't often lamp up these days until I've taken care of priorities.. One has to utilise control, otherwise the herb will be the controller.

I believe no one should live on substance... Some think it makes you lazy but cannabis is a stimulant... When I toke I usually write C language programs... In this hobby creative thinking is a plus... I have some focus terms I use to bring my concentration back if i wander... Moderation of dose works good for me.

Everyone has brought up such valid reasoning that I wanted to quote everyone.. Sorry for the long ass post. Follow the advice of the other peeps and you'll be a productive stoner. It's obvious they all speak from experience!! Good thread btw

Edit * Bobby Stainless is another fine example of someone who's set their life up in a way that can continue with success as well as the ability to start the day with herb.. *

Brilliant thread.. I find it inspiring!!

 

[Kizzattack]

I use cannabis as a reward. For example, "if I get this amount of work done by 9pm I can have a joint." This way I'm actually more productive and motivated than if I didn't smoke at all.

 

[madrecinco]

Here's what I say...

Take a break from smoking for a month. Get your affairs in order, you'll be clearheaded and able to make somewhat better decisions (come on now, when you're stoned all the time the decisions you make aren't necessarily the BEST you'd make if sober. i can vouch for this as a stoner as i've made plans, hung out with people and did things i -probably- wouldn't have done sober. lmao)

Anway, get to the point where you are actively in a habit and managing your career (work/school), then introduce bud. Don't attempt to introduce practicing medicine to your bud; it's an "easter egg" of life, and indulge responsibly...unless you are sure you have no plans, then by all means, indulge irresponsibly

Very good advice indeed....lots of ppl on this board are educated and in successful careers because several have confided it to me privately and some even admit it in forums. But lots of successful ppl are tokers in private and some do cme out on it. I started smoking in the 60's and have smoked on and off since....according to drug test policies. But I never smoked the days I had to work and make critical decisions. A stoned nurse running a code is a NO NO!!!!

But many nurses and docs privately smoke. A renowned cardiologist I know tokes....

But you have to know how to use it like the "easter egg" of our life and does need to be used responsibly. But I toke daily now and contemplate life and try to learn from my pasts mistakes. It helps me meditate and reach my CENTER!!!!

This is Nurse Madre opinion & NOT and not supported byANA .... NANDA or AMA YET! they are truly HYPOCRITS!!!!

 

[pack a bowl]

it depends on my tolerance. if i have a high tolerance i can smoke all day and be just as productive when i'm sober.

if my tolerance is low and i smoke too early in the day i'm not gonna get much work done, so i have to wait till i've done some work and then i can smoke a bit and keep up the same productivity.

 

[luv2garden]

A nice joint is my glass of red wine at night after a stressful day! that's it! I don't smoke throughout the day that's family or work time IMO.

 

[Siddartha]

Wow, how ironic for me to find this thread, I just started my hiatus Saturday. I think if you tend to be lazy off of ganj then you will be extremely lazy on it. The people I see wasting their lives in a stoned stupor tend to have wasted a big part of it before they ever lit up for the first time. I've never seen cannabis destroy someone like I've seen other drugs do. I've watched meth, oxy, and coke absolutely debilitate extremely smart and talented people because of too much use too frequently.

That said, many people I know who are intelligent and talented should likely smoke less. The herb tends to make them complacent. It's not necessarily that they are lazy, they still get things done, they still perform well at their jobs or in school, it's just that they could do more. I feel like I'm one of these people, but I'm fighting through this haze of "Nah man, I'm aiight" now. It will never do for me to go baked-ly into that good night. I dunno, maybe it's a personality thing.

Chiefing it up certainly helps the code flow, though, I can write amazing things in Python when I'm blazed.

 

[Big D]

 

[robereno]

Good discussion.

Like many here, I stated smoking in the 60’s while in college. But by 1977 I was still kicking around without direction or much of a future.

Finally I quit smoking and for almost 25 years I tried to keep it together and create a life. I was just too busy dealing with life’s drama to be able to smoke and have a good time. For me, that was the only route that would work because unlike many of my coworkers, I couldn’t smoke on the job and expect to get anything done.

About a year ago after I retired, I started smoking again and I’m finding it an excellent way to experience “quality time”. It’s been helpful in treating depression that I’ve suffered from my entire life and it’s inspired my creative and spiritual side.

Yeah, if I have a special project going on I’ll hold off but other than that, I’m smoking every day.

 

[Moldy Dreads]

I tend to just save my toking for the late afternoon/evening when most all of the days work has been done....

Most varieties of cannabis muddles my mind a bit if I start too early and have too much to do.......in the evenings it just relaxes the mind and body and this leads to a comfortable sleep....

Agreed also, it took me many years to realize this. Now I smoke only in the afternoons and evenings. I get highly motivated to run and exercise with afternoon Sativas like hazes and Cheese which also help with the depression and demotivation of some of life's challenges, and then a nice OG Kush or Indica at night to help me sleep and ward off the nightmares (hereditary) and to help digestion etc.

 

[Stoner4Life]

I would say for most people, and there are exceptions, being stoned all the time is not a good thing. I would not recommend it.

I hear ya bro & agree but.......
papa didn't raise no quitter