burnedOut ? readThis : stillReadThis
As I come to the end of my bootcamp with Flatiron, I realize that the biggest takeaway for me as a developer is not about the way ternary operators work (although they make excellent titles!), or how to integrate redux into my react project — quite frankly there’s a mountain of blog posts and articles that talk about the details, the processes, and all of the important things we need to know to be better at what we do. The main lesson I’ve learned in the last six months is how to accomplish my goals and finish time-sensitive work while maintaining my health and sanity. Here are some things to consider as you move forward, whether as a student, freelancer, or employee.
Are you set up for success?
It’s a bit of a cliche phrase, sure, but have you considered your work setup as an essential piece of the puzzle? How tall is your desk, relative to your chair, and where are your monitors positioned? Is the keyboard at a wrist-friendly angle? Is the lighting in the room, and the color scheme in your code editor, optimized for your vision? So many of us go to the office (home or on site) and just sit down and start coding away, and wonder why we have sore shoulders, persistent headaches, and low back pain. My previous career as a chef had me on my feet most of the day, paying attention to body mechanics and posture. Sitting down for eight to ten hours a day is a foreign environment for me, and I had to try a few different configurations before I found my ideal positioning (and I’m still adjusting!). Here’s a basic resource for ideal ergonomics:
What a pain in the neck! (and other places)
Desk stretches. Sounds silly perhaps, especially in an open office setting. But some days, you’re super busy, and you can’t just get up and leave your desk (but you should. more on that in a bit.). Enter desk stretching. I’m a yoga person, and I love the flexibility and other benefits it provides. Sitting still for long periods of time can turn the most limber of us into a stiffened mass of tension. In just a few minutes, you can let that tension go with some basic stretches that can be done RIGHT IN YOUR CHAIR, OR STANDING AT YOUR DESK. See below:
The article here takes you through all of these movements in detail — I have this infographic saved on my desktop, and a post-it note on my wall next to my whiteboard that just says STRETCH to remind me to pay attention to how I’m feeling. Speaking of paying attention…
Let’s talk about mindfulness and meditation!
Mindfulness is, according to Mindful.org, the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. There are numerous resources available to explore the practices surrounding mindfulness, and I am no expert! Things I’ve used to help me stay more present, and avoid the sensation of overwhelm that can be so pervasive when I’m struggling with a project and a deadline:
- Check out the offerings at work or school! There is a “Meditation Monday” guided meditation hosted online at Flatiron — I saw it on the calendar and it quickly became the best 20 minutes of my Monday mornings. Many employers are focused on employee wellness, so check out what might be available to you.
- Explore podcasts on Spotify, Apple Music, or whatever platform you prefer. There are as many approaches to mindfulness as there are software platforms, so it will take a bit of research and effort to find the right one(s) for you, but it’s a journey worth taking!
- YouTube is full of short meditations — I’ve got a saved list of 5 minute or less exercises designed to pause, reset, focus, and decrease anxiety/stress.
- Just breathe. Many disciplines have specific breathing exercises designed to put the mind in a more present and receptive state. One of the easiest to do involves breathing in for a count of three, hold for three, breathe out for three. Do this five to ten times. Then go about the rest of your day!
- Try a meditation app! (or build one!) There’s quite a few out there, all designed differently, and some focus on brief, able-to-do-anywhere exercises. Explore!
And finally, the Pomodoro Technique.
Wait, isn’t pomodoro Italian for tomato? (yes, chef brain, it is.) It is also an excellent technique for maximizing productivity and battling procrastination. A summary:
The principle is to make a to do list of everything you’re needing to accomplish. Each interval, or pomodoro, you focus on one task for 25 minutes without distractions. Then you take a 5 minute break. After 4 pomodoros (2 hours), you take a longer break. The author of this article over at todoist.com highlights the three main rules to follow:
- Break down complex projects. If a task requires more than four pomodoros, it needs to be divided into smaller, actionable steps. Sticking to this rule will help ensure you make clear progress on your projects.
- Small tasks go together. Any tasks that will take less than one Pomodoro should be combined with other simple tasks. For example, “write rent check,” “set vet appointment,” and “read Pomodoro article” could go together in one session.
- Once a pomodoro is set, it must ring. The pomodoro is an indivisible unit of time and can not be broken, especially not to check incoming emails, team chats, or text messages. Any ideas, tasks, or requests that come up should be taken note of to come back to later. A digital task manager like Todoist is a great place for these, but pen and paper will do too.
As someone who struggles from time to time with procrastination and focus, this method has been extremely helpful in keeping me productive, while giving me enough breaks to feel refreshed in between. I highly recommend trying the technique for a week of working, and seeing how it works for you!
Wrapping up
I have learned all kinds of coding in the last six months — and I’m looking forward to taking my skills out into the world as a developer. Ultimately, those aren’t the only skills I need to thrive, and being able to present a whole, healthy, focused, productive person to the world and my work is just as important as that React hook I’m still struggling to implement! Take care of yourselves out there!!
