Coding outside of work. - Revisited
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I hardly ever touch a computer when I'm not at work anymore. Some occasional light browsing on my phone but that is it. Too much other stuff going on.
Every man can tell how many goats or sheep he possesses, but not how many friends. Shed Petition[^]
That's how I was until recently. I found a personal need for a product based on my interest (comedy). It will be an extremely small niche of people that will use it, but it feels good to create something that will help them. After this, maybe I'll have momentum to create other (potentially more marketable) stuff. When it gets warm out, I'll probably move away from the computer.
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So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
I "down tools" at least an hour before I want to go to bed, and I go relax. If I don't, I toss and turn and don't sleep, which is A Bad Thing (I get migraine headaches, and lack of sleep is a contributor).
Software Zen:
delete this; -
In general, you work best when you're not exhausted or worn out from doing one thing all the time. But if you are excited/challenged by a problem and your interest is peaked, ride the wave. I would just let your day-to-day state drive you and rather than an arbitrary deadline you might set for yourself. My 2¢.
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So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
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I refuse to code when I'm tired, simply because the code I generate when I'm tired isn't fit to wrap dead fish in. Like you, I sleep around 6 hrs a day (which is unhealthy) Mon-Thu. However, if I'm not tired on a weeknight, I work on my home projects about 2-4 hours after work, but if I'm tired, I leave it for the weekend. On weekends, I get up around 6:00am (refreshed) and am able to put in 12-14 hours coding. My best work (on my home projects) is done on weekends. One thing I've learned is to not rush to put something in the hands of users. I want to make sure my app (or feature) is plenty tested before it gets in the hands of the end user. OT: I also try hard to make it brain-dead easy for users to report bugs and upgrade to a new release. My releases are (almost always) backward compatible with older data stores and upgrade in-place by simply clicking OK in a dialog. Nothing to download and no installers to run. I have immense respect for my users and am humbled by the fact they find my apps useful, and consequently want to do everything I can to make it easy for them to use my apps. /ravi
My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com
Ravi Bhavnani wrote:
Nothing to download and no installers to run.
Where does the update come from then...? :doh:
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
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So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
I can't code after work. After sitting at a computer all day, I have to do other things when I get home. So that just leaves the weekend. With winter coming, I anticipate (and look forward to) rainy Saturday and Sunday afternoons finishing two projects that I have going.
What me worry?
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Ravi Bhavnani wrote:
Nothing to download and no installers to run.
Where does the update come from then...? :doh:
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
Sorry, I meant the user doesn't have to download anything manually. It's a one-click "download + install + upgrade data + restart" operation. /ravi
My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com
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Sorry, I meant the user doesn't have to download anything manually. It's a one-click "download + install + upgrade data + restart" operation. /ravi
My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com
That's what I assumed you meant. Just making sure you hadn't come up with some sort of magic without telling all of us. ;P
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
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So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
I try to do an hour or so in the evening (but only if I balance it by going to the gym for an hour first - no, it doesn't always work that way :-)) and whatever I need at the weekend.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
wizardzz wrote:
- Schedule set blocks of time.
I skip scheduled blocks now and again. I have a pretty busy schedule and sometimes I don't feel like it. That said, aside from my learning goals (for work) I don't code in my time away from work. The learning goals are for work, but we can't use work hours for them. It's to ensure that we are progressing I suppose. In order for me to do them, I must schedule x amount of time x days a week and try to keep that schedule.
If it moves, compile it
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Andrew Rissing wrote:
I'm a bit of a spelling Nazi, all the fault of my second grade teacher who gave out Reese's Cups as prizes for her weekly spelling bees. I love Reese's Cups.
Andrew Rissing wrote:
Btw, it is sad to see what has happened to Eastman Kodak. (Photographer here)
Indeed it is. I'm still hoping we survive (obviously), but the consumer film business is long gone.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
do it when it's fun. don't give yourself another job.
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Andrew Rissing wrote:
I'm a bit of a spelling Nazi, all the fault of my second grade teacher who gave out Reese's Cups as prizes for her weekly spelling bees. I love Reese's Cups.
Andrew Rissing wrote:
Btw, it is sad to see what has happened to Eastman Kodak. (Photographer here)
Indeed it is. I'm still hoping we survive (obviously), but the consumer film business is long gone.
Software Zen:
delete this;Np. I don't mind the correction. :) One of those situations where the brain queued up the wrong keystrokes... ;)
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So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
If I'm coding for profit, I code when I need the profit. If I'm coding for fun, I only do it when it's fun.
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
I generally have several projects on the go outside work - some technically work, some purely for pleasure. I use a self-reward system; If I spend 2 hours on this work-related task, I will reward myself with, say, 2 hours gaming, or working on pleasure-related coding. I try to split home dev tasks into very small blocks - so I can complete something in a couple of hours - that way, when that block is complete, I am happy to walk away without worrying about picking up on it next time. For example, at work a task might be to create an export option for a data file - maybe a couple of days work. At home I would split it up into several chunks - design the file, design the gui, write the sql etc. etc.
MVVM# - See how I did MVVM my way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')
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So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
I try to keep my weekday home-coding to a minimum, but I often get a "Eureka" moment and have to give it a go immediately. So I heve fixed myself a rule which I find quite easy to follow: If I stay up until silly-o-clock coding on one evening, then no more coding for the next two days - even if it is just before the weekend.
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So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
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So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
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So I started working on a project, one that future Mrs. Wiz is doing the frontend/visuals on. It is neither of the 2 previously mentioned projects. How do you pace yourself? I'm having trouble with going home and just coding for like 4 hours straight. It's fun, it's rewarding, but I'm afraid of burnout. 12-14 hours of coding a day seems like it could lean to burnout (I only sleep 5-6 hours). What do you guys do: 1) Schedule set blocks of time. 2) Set upper limits per day. 3) Only code on weekends.
I don't. A big caveat, however. I've been doing this for 25+ years. by now, having a life outside of work is much more important than geeking it up. I still very much enjoy the analytical, problem-solving aspect of development. I laid in bed for 3-4 hours last night thinking about something I'd developed and realized a couple of changes I needed to make for corner cases. But, the actual implementation is pretty boring. Whether I'm using .NET or MVC, C# code-behind or jquery on the client, it doesn't matter. The new technologies are fun to learn, but the actual coding part is meh. So, I guess my advice to you is to not take this second thing on as another job. As long as it's a hobby, you'll probably enjoy fooling around with it. Once you start setting deadlines, and feeling as if, "I have to get this feature done tonight", you'll start burning out.