Turn off your coding mind
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Producing code daily is not easy. You have to fix bugs that can take a lot of your mental energy during your working hours, if you have a 9–5 job. This can be tiring both mentally and physically. Afterwards, it is crucial that you remember to turn off your coding mind, and do something else for a change. This post is about why I think it’s important to think about and do other stuff after work. I hope you get some benefit from this.
Photo by Warren Wong on Unsplash
As a coder, we tend to be intrigued by the problems we are currently solving. This can take over your mind, even after you’ve turned off the computer. A trick I use is to do something completely different than coding. This takes my mind off the coding problem, and let’s my mind relax. Having hobbies can help you in this. Do some gaming, watch a TV show or whatever you are into.
Sometimes you seem to have an insurmountable problem, which you can’t solve. No matter how much you try that day, there is no solution to the coding issue. But if you let your mind wander and let it go, often the solution presents itself magically. I think it’s because your brain needs time to relax a bit. When you hit the problem the next day with a fresh mind, you have the energy to solve the issue.
Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash
If you have a partner or family, remember to spend time with them. Working on a coding problem after work is not very social. Spending time on work, should be done at work. Not at home where you should focus on your family. I always say: family first, work second. If I’m happy with my family and enjoying myself with them, I’ll also produce great work and be productive. You have your family (hopefully) for life. Your day job can change next week. So remember, focus on your family.
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
Having said that, you should make time to code. But not work related! Only hobby projects or fun stuff you don’t have time for in your day job. This will help develop your skills, and you won’t get tired of the same tech stack. At home, you are free to do whatever you like. But do it on a schedule, so that you have time for both your family and coding. That way, you’ll limit how much time you spend on coding after work.
These were just some lessons I’ve learned along the way as a coder for the past 10 years. I hope you found them useful in the work life balance we all need.
