41. Solutions to Home Assignment

Solutions to Home Assignment (See Post 40.)

The amount of time required (T_rq) depends heavily on how much attention is being paid to the task. Distractions usually stretch the time but other factors can balance it.

In an order of increasing T_rq (Time Requiered):

1. Eating – It requires focus and is generally considered as pleasing. Hence it has a low distraction index.

2. Groceries – Buying vegetables, meat and fish from a market is unpleasant, hence done swiftly; buying from supermarket does not allow thorough examination, hence gets over fast.

3. TV surfing alone – It is comfortable but simultaneously boring, lonely and full of hypermelodramatic or hyperpolitical content, hence a moderately high distraction index (watching movies or sports is not considered here as both have fixed time frames)

4. Cooking – Either boring and repetitive or creative and interesting. But it is mostly carried out in the hottest and stuffiest room, which makes it quite unpleasant. One wishes to finish the actual task of cooking as fast as possible, even as a hobby.

5. Reading newspapers –One reads newspapers only when one has spare time and has nothing else to do. But the depressing content will often act as a deterrent and restrict the duration.

6. TV surfing with partner/spouse – often the only common activity carried out by the couple about once a week and generates fond feelings of rare togetherness. One wants to carry on.

7. Reading a book – Same as newspaper but has a better content value.

8. Shopping – Almost zero distraction index, but heavy on addiction index.

9. Dusting – Extremely unpleasant with monumental distraction possibilities. One actually wants to be distracted. Hence it often takes a very long time, much longer than anticipated.