Worn Out Code Newbies, Don't Forget The Goal

These days my hands are full. I work full time (not coding), and on the side am in the part time web development track with Bloc. I also have four children (8 and under) and “real-life” things that must get done as well.

Coding can be addicting and can easily consume a large chunk of your time, your days, weeks, months. For me it has, and there are times where I am worn out from juggling it all.

If you are a newbie looking to transition into the web or software development realm, you are probably facing similar circumstances. You work your 8 hours of non-coding and then you try to find free time to code. Its hard.

Well, hear me out and let this serve as a reminder as well as an encouragement.

Don’t forget the goal.

What is the goal?

The goal is to replace your current daily grind of not coding with a job of coding (broadly speaking). This “let me get through my job today so I can get back to coding” is for the birds. There are others things to do that under these circumstances will never get done.

The goal is to remove 8 hours of your day not coding, replace those 8 hours with coding so that you can get back to your normal life.

It should go from:

1. Daily non coding job: 8 hours
2. Daily duties: X hours
3. Coding time: Whatever is left after the above AND how little sleep you can get away with.

To this:

1. Daily coding job: 8 hours
2. Daily duties/hobbies: X hours

Scrounging for time to code should be a temporary pursuit. It will always clash with other pursuits (relationships, family, vacations, self-discipline, etc.).

So keep up the good work. Press on. Remember it is a season of sacrifice that should flourish back into an even greater, normal life.