Remember the scene from the Shining where the wife finds out what Jack Nicholson’s character has been working so hard on? Pages and pages of the text “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.” As software developers we should all heed this warning.
As I was thinking about some of the things I could do to become a better developer, one item jumped to the forefront of my mind. Sometimes I just need to step away from the keyboard, get away from the code and recharge my batteries. For me, it might mean getting out in the fresh air for a walk with the dogs, reading a non-tech book, or watching the latest episode of 4400. It might be different for you, but whatever it is just make sure you get away from the code. Everyone loves to brag about their marathon code-fests depending on caffeine and sugar to make it through. Sometimes they’re necessary (usually due to poor planning), but they should never be thought of as normal or business as usual. As in all professions, software developers need a good work and home life balance. You’ll be OK in the short term without one, but eventually it will come back to haunt you.
I look at software developers as one part artist and two parts engineer. Most love what they do, and as a result will put in extremely long hours. I’m not naive. I know there will be times when you need to put in those extra hours to meet a deadline, but save yourself for those times it’s absolutely required. I’ll sometimes come up with some of my better ideas or more elegant solutions when I’m away from the keyboard. So Unplug. Get out of the chair and do something non-tech related. You’ll come back to your code refreshed and with new ideas.
Whenever I hear developers talking about how code and tech is their life, I get the exact opposite impression I think they’re trying to convey. Who wants to work with someone who can only interact with a compiler? Live life a little. There’s more to it than 1′s and 0′s.
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