Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ultra]

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes".

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your family, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else---the small stuff. "If you put the sand Into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and said, "I'm glad you asked. The coffee just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

[Leslie Cheswyck]

I quit coffee about two years ago. I substituted with an apple for breakfast. And I snack on peanuts between classes til lunchtime.

I love it. I am properly hungry for lunch and without that jittery feeling coffee gave me.

[discostar23]

cheers everyone for the helpful hints.

As for my stomach...she is a sensitive sort...given up trying to understand her...

[thiophene]

I did this after I graduated uni, only 4 years, but after you get past 2-3 days, it's easy. You'll notice you're not as jabazeeeeeemoookalazoooooooesheeeeemoyeeeka as before but the tiredness and headaches are gone. You're back to your boring self. YOU CAN DO IT!

[shetan]

[articulate_ink]

I went off caffeine completely about 15 years ago, while I was working at a very stressful job. My stomach was messed up and I had tension headaches all the time. Instead of drinking coffee, tea, and caffeinated soft drinks all day, I drank them at scheduled times. Coffee with breakfast, a soft drink with lunch, another one late in the afternoon if I was starting to slump, and more coffee when I got home from work. Then I cut these things out one at a time, starting with the late-afternoon beverage. Then I stopped drinking a Coke with lunch. Then I drank less coffee in the afternoon. Then I had to prepare myself for the big one: the Morning Fix. I blended decaf and regular-strength coffee and drank that until I could work up the courage to quit. I think I did a 75/25 decaf/caf blend for a while. Then I just... stopped. This wasn't too harsh, and I didn't get too many awful headaches (well, no more than usual).

You may find that cutting down helps your stomach problems, also. Low-acid coffees are worth finding. Kilimanjaro's good that way too.

Are you drinking enough water? What about the alcohol intake? And how sugary is your diet? These three things will all affect the way you feel as much if not more than caffeine will.

[SHANE02]

[Tony_Balony]

The withdrawals are wicked. I was into the mountaineering scene for sometime and we always had to prepare for safety and first aid etc and evac.

Normal people climb and they are addicted to caffeine and quite often those people either forget caffeine or somehow become separated from a source
meaning they get wickedly ill for at least a day and can't move.

If you have a week off, take a day or two to do the experiment.

[PGF]

cold turkey. the headaches suck, but they'll be gone soon.

[pastis]

I too used to drink a lot of coffee for years, which I realised was making me feel like crap, so I first cut back to just 1 cup a day (in the morning), then eventually just switched to green tea (which is gentler on the stomach, healthier in general, and helps digestion).

One suggestion (which may not apply to you): some people drink their morning coffee first thing, even before eating. This actually affects your stomach a lot worse (and you get a more concentrated kick of caffeine) than if you drink your coffee with or after eating breakfast. Just like drinking alcohol, coffee it's easier to take with a belly full of food.

[discostar23]

so I decided I would start my coffee-free life on my vacation. Since there is no espresso at the house I will be staying prehaps the temptation will not be so bad....

[ultra]

If you have coffee and an espresso machine at your place, the best thing to do is put your junk in a box, and give it to me.

[thepeel]

[DRAMA OVERKILL]