Is Over-Studying Detrimental to a Mathematician's Success?

[Bourbaki1123]

Well, I was actually thinking of taking days off. Like studying 15 hours for four days a week and then taking the rest of the days off. But, now I doubt I will do that, particularly the comments in this thread.

You might as well spread it out and work some everyday if that is the case (not sure if that's what you mean by doubting your will do that). Also, some amount of exercise tends significantly improve mental quickness and mental functioning in general.

If I thought I was a genius I would work less. Last year I was studying less and having more fun. Got crappy grades and didn't improve at all. Hence, why I'm now studying crazy hours.

If you thought you were a genius, you would work less. That implies that doing/studying mathematics isn't one of the most enjoyable things you could be doing. I mean, if you picked up course material easily and could get a first without much effort, how much do you suppose you would study/do mathematics for simple self-improvment/enjoyment of problems solving? I've always read and done lots of mathematics, but almost none of it was for a class.

 

[simplicity123]

You might as well spread it out and work some everyday if that is the case (not sure if that's what you mean by doubting your will do that). Also, some amount of exercise tends significantly improve mental quickness and mental functioning in general.

To be fair, not going to do that now. Would have to work under the assumption that I'm not a genius. Only thing I can think of is to study crazy hours.

If you thought you were a genius, you would work less. That implies that doing/studying mathematics isn't one of the most enjoyable things you could be doing. I mean, if you picked up course material easily and could get a first without much effort, how much do you suppose you would study/do mathematics for simple self-improvment/enjoyment of problems solving? I've always read and done lots of mathematics, but almost none of it was for a class.

To be fair, poker is more fun than anything. I could play be locked up in jail with only access to online poker and I wouldn't be sad. Through, I have gave up poker for Maths as poker is not useful and very distracting. I was thinking of quitting Maths to do poker when I had bad family issues.

Actually don't struggle with course. Just think it's a waste of time. I plan to study course material only through, like memorize all proofs and go over the stuff repeatedly. I thinking of doing this for the next 2 years and then when got PhD I can study what I want. Just needs the grades first. Plus I'm looking ahead ten to twenty years. Like imagine what I could get done studying 15 hours a day for 40-50 years.

 

[dcpo]

The bottom line is, if you're studying crazy hours because you're an Erdos figure and you can't stop yourself thinking about maths for more than a few minutes then cool, it's a non-standard life but what the hell, it takes all sorts. If you're making yourself study crazy hours because you think this is what you have to do to realize your self diagnosed genius then you're going to be unhappy, and you're going to be disappointed.

 

[Constantinos]

Hey!

I'm not going to question your values, they are fine with me if you are fine with them! I almost like your dedication, and I would really like to be able to dedicate myself in a subject completely (though in a controlled manner i.e, being able to stop it at will and not because of OCD).

But I believe you don't serve your values well with your behavior. If you value to be productive with your work then you have to take care of yourself in order to remain productive. You will not be productive with back pains because of sitting for long hours, or if your movements feel stiff because of lack of exercise, or if you can't get some sleep because you can't stop thinking about some problem (and lack of exercise).

You say that

Spoiler

we are all going to die sometime

and all that and that it would be better dying doing something "great" than nothing. I don't agree with that, but let's suppose it's true. Well then, if you live a longer, healthier life, you have a better chance of doing something "great" than living unhealthy (and possibly shorter because of that) just because you will have more time to do the things you like and during this time, you are more focused because there are no health issues around. But healthy does not equal with your lifestyle.

Think of it this way. You may get 1hour of exercise a day. Then you would study 14 hours, but exercise (especially aerobics) is beneficial to cognitive function. Also, with exercise, you may sleep better and that will also improve cognitive function. Maybe you may even need less sleep, and so you won't lose anything from your studying time AND be more productive during it. Moreover, with an 1hour exercise/day, there are many other health problems you may avoid that come later in your life which would constitute distractions (to say the least) from your work.

So if I were you, I'd first get some exercise everyday, perhaps jogging with a friend (or a professor if you are so inclined to socialize with them). Forget about studying 15 hours a day or any such arbitrary amount. Think about studying as productive as possible.

You may not need exercise, or sleep, or socializing or whatever, because your genes are so bada** that you can do without them. But you can't know the impact of socializing and exercise in your productivity unless you try them. So try them, because they may benefit you!

A more interesting thing though would be to discuss if indeed it is the better life to be dedicated to one subject, or to becoming a big mathematician, or doing "great" things, whatever that means. It is a good thing for one to reexamine one's values from time to time, even if one kept them from an early age, because there is always the probability that one was wrong all along...