Do you tell yourself that as you get out your compass and paper maps on the way to a new city.

Land navigation is an important skill. You wouldn't let such an important skill atrophy would you?

You use your brain at work? Ppffff. Overachiever.

Okay but have you considered I only apply my brain to fun and exciting problems, and the ones at work get the clanker?

Exercise yes. Daily 8hr forced deathmarch, not so much.

This is something I’m currently struggling with at a new job. The product they’ve crafted is fundamentally linked to AI, insomuch as I literally can’t get the data without prompting.

I’m doing my best to “do difficult things” outside of work to compensate, and I can only hope that’s enough

The brain is a muscle... really? I wonder where you heard that. Probably a person. Maybe you should fact check that with AI next time.

Noone says that asking a person a question is offloading their thinking. But if you ask AI it is? How does that work?

Of course, that's why I sum my spreadsheets by hand with pen and paper and then enter the total back into the sheet