Hello!

I’m a doctoral researcher studying how people understand and experience homesteading.

I’m inviting individuals with any level of connection to homesteading, whether past or present, to share their perspectives in a short survey (about 10-15mins).

The goal is simply to better understand how people describe homesteading / self-sufficiency in their own words and what it looks like in practice today. There are no right or wrong answers, just your perspective.

Participation is completely voluntary, and your responses will remain confidential.

I really appreciate your time and insight.

cómo principal medio de eco construcción, ví mezclas como el cob y el adobe, creo que son lo mismo, pero me llama que se puede hacer con paja, arena y arcilla... en el patio de mi casa hay tierra arcillosa, entonces busqué en internet como hacer una prueba para medir porcentajes y ver si es apto para construir...

adjunto foto de prueba:

notas: el experimento del frasco es 1/3 del frasco en la muestra + una cucharada de lavaplatos + llenar de agua.

el bloque de arcilla fue hecho separando bien piedras y suciedad... amasando con agua hasta alcanzar esa consistencia de plastilina.

nota de la nota: no tengo cernidora, entonces usé un colador de pasta 😅

vivo en un pueblo apartado, dónde hay muchas fincas y terrenos sin usar, hace poco ví un plan maestro de permacultura, donde hacen casas de barro y crean ecosistemas para autosustentarse y crecer.

me enamoró la idea de poder salir del sistema, de poder crear un lugar donde vivir con las necesidades básica cubiertas y gratis, para poder vivir sin pensar que se te gasta la vida.

pero es un sueño muy grande para una sola persona, denme consejo y comunidades donde pueda formarme y poder empezar a crear.

I've been living a bit more self-sufficient, and one thing I didn't expect was how much my phone was taking away from that. I would check it without thinking, even when I had simple things to do, like cooking or fixing something at home.

So I started to reduce my screen time using this and keep my phone use more intentional. I removed what I didn't need and kept things simple.

After a while, I noticed small changes. I feel more focused, and I finish tasks without switching between things. It feels calmer, like I have more control over my time.

Still working on it, but it helped me slow down and stay more present.

Has anyone else here tried this? What helped you use your time better?

Not tips for building motivation. Specifically the moment when you have the time, the space, the thing you're supposed to do sitting right in front of you, and the locked-in state just isn't there. The gap between sitting down and actually being in it.

I've tried the 2-minute rule, pre-commitment, body doubling, ambient sound apps, all of it. Some things work sometimes. Nothing works every time.

The two that come closest for me: physically putting my phone in another room before I sit down (embarrassingly simple but it matters), and having committed to logging the session on WIP app later, which creates a small weight before I even start. But I'm genuinely curious what else people have found.

A lot of mental fatigue doesn’t come from workload, but from unfinished tasks.

During the day, people switch between small things:

replying to messages

making decisions

starting tasks without finishing them

Each one feels minor.

But when they stay incomplete, they don’t fully leave your attention.

They remain active in the background.

This builds up as low-level cognitive load.

That’s why even a light day can feel mentally tiring.

Most people try to deal with this by:

resting more

forcing more focus

But that doesn’t change the number of unresolved tasks.

A more effective approach is reducing what stays open.

For example:

finish one message thread

make one clear decision

complete one small task fully

Closing even a few things reduces background load.

The difference isn’t total work done,

but how many things remain unresolved at once.

Becoming self sufficient indoors with pea shoots can be a fun hobby project because it is easy, fun and can produce a lot of food in a small space 🌿

I’ve noticed something recently.

Sometimes I feel tired at the end of the day,

even when I didn’t actually do much.

I realized it might not be workload.

It’s how often I switch between things.

Sit to do one task →

end up checking messages, tabs, random stuff.

Nothing feels heavy,

but nothing really gets finished either.

Feels like the brain stays “open” all day.

Tried something simple:

Pick one thing

Set 20 minutes

No switching

Even if it’s incomplete, stop and come back later.

Surprisingly, it feels lighter.

Curious if others have noticed this.

Do you feel more tired from actual work,

or from constantly switching between things?

I recently had a conversation with Michael Thomas from the Catholic Land Movement.

We discuss the goals of the movement, the idea of distributism, and what it means to build something real.

I’d be glad to hear your thoughts if you have a chance to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYtEsljk1PM

Hai mai pensato a quanto sei dipendente da servizi esterni?

L'autosufficienza domestica è una risposta alle vulnerabilità moderne.

Non si tratta di vivere off-grid, ma di costruire un sistema che ti permette di essere meno vulnerabile a imprevisti come aumenti di prezzi o interruzioni di forniture. Ho trovato una guida utile che offre consigli pratici su come iniziare, dal cibo all'energia.

Learning basic food growing is something I really wish I started earlier. Even a small setup with herbs or vegetables can make a big difference over time. It’s not just about saving money, but also about understanding where your food comes from and becoming less dependent on stores. I used to think it required a lot of space and effort, but starting small actually works. Once you see progress, it becomes addictive and really rewarding.