Quick question that’s been bugging me for a while. I work part time at a laptop shop called Techyest and one of my colleagues keeps telling me I should learn to code to help build out some features on our website. I’ve been doing freeCodeCamp for about 3 months now and honestly I’m starting to see why he said that.
But my actual question is — how do you guys stay consistent when learning? I’ll have a great week then completely fall off for 10 days. Is this normal or am I just bad at this lol?
It’s norm to get laid back sometimes while nurturing discipline, motivation fades. That’s why its essential for one to build discipline. I believe it’s build on getting stuff done no matter how you feel, tired? Get some rest then get stuff done. Want to procrastinate cause ‘their is nothing to do?’, their is always something to do.
You just get stuff done routinely each day till it becomes your part and parcel. However, this does not mean you push yourself to the edge, work yourself to near demise. Always take breaks while in your activities, do very little on some days, take planned breaks after a period of time.
It’s also crucial that you celebrate your wins and progress, no matter how small they may seem.
Hey kavinreed, first off: this is 100% normal and you are definitely not bad at this! Almost every single self-taught developer has gone through the exact same cycle of hyper-focus followed by a 10-day burnout.
The trap we all fall into is thinking we need to block out 2 or 3 hours at a time to “properly” study. When life gets busy, those large blocks of time disappear, so we end up doing nothing.
Here is a strategy that helped me break that cycle: The 15-Minute Rule.
On days when you are exhausted from working at Techyest or just don’t feel like coding, promise yourself you will code for just 15 minutes. Read one freeCodeCamp prompt, pass one challenge, or just fix a single typo in your HTML.
Nine times out of ten, once you start, the friction disappears and you’ll stay on for an hour. But even if you actually stop after 15 minutes, you kept the habit alive. Consistency isn’t about how much you do on your best days; it’s about doing a tiny bit on your worst days.
This is really reassuring, thank you both! The 15-minute rule is something I’m definitely going to try, I think you’re right that I’ve been waiting for big chunks of free time that just never come. And the point about celebrating small wins is something I’ve completely ignored, I tend to only notice when I’m falling behind rather than how far I’ve come. Back to it tonight even if it’s just one challenge!
I simply have a fixed daily routine for every day. For coding: when the kids are sleeping, I spend 1 hour for learning and 2 or 3 pauses, then go to sleep.
If you live consistent already (like waking up the same time every day or eat the same time every day etc.), then putting new things is easily insertable and your body will think it’s necessary work to do every day.
It doesn’t mean you should never have a break tho.
Also: Don’t give up! Making new habits can take up to 150 days of trying or just a few weeks. It’s different for everybody, so it’s completely normal, you are not bad at this at all, just keep trying.
At the beginning, it’s normal to have ups and downs. When you are on the downward part, just take a break from coding. Set realistic time limits so you don’t overexert yourself.
Feeling tired or down is your mind and body’s way of telling you that something isn’t right. Listen to that and make adjustments. Maybe code only on weekends, or code on weekdays but not weekends.
Also, exercise regularly, if you don’t already, and eat nutritious foods.
Learning to code is tough. So you need to be patient and kind to yourself.
After learning a new topic, take a break of about a week, then review and build practice projects with your new found skills. Anything you don’t remember, cover it again, then move onto the next topic.
I think that’s completely normal. Consistency doesn’t always mean coding every single day. Life gets busy, so I’d focus on keeping the habit small instead of trying to make up for missed days. Even 20–30 minutes on a busy day can keep you moving forward. Also, working on small features for your workplace could make learning feel more practical and motivating. Don’t worry about the 10-day gaps too much—just start again and keep going.
Yeah, I think that’s pretty normal. Life can easily get in the way, so I don’t think you need to code every single day to make progress. I’d try setting a small goal, even 20–30 minutes a day, and focus more on staying consistent over time than having a perfect streak. Missing a few days doesn’t mean you’re bad at coding.
I try to follow the same routine by setting aside a little time for coding each day, even when life gets busy. I don’t always manage a long session, but 20–30 minutes is usually enough to keep the habit going. If I miss a few days, I just get back to the routine instead of worrying about it too much.
It’s completely normal. I’d focus less on studying for long hours and more on keeping a small daily habit. Even 20–30 minutes of coding is enough to keep the momentum going. Also, try building small features for the website instead of only following tutorials—it makes learning feel more practical and rewarding. Missing a few days doesn’t mean you failed; just pick it back up and continue.
Falling off for a week or two is completely normal when learning alongside work and other responsibilities. Consistency does not have to mean coding for hours every day; it is much easier to sustain momentum with small, realistic habits:
On busy or low-energy days, aim for just 20 to 30 minutes. Even working through a single problem keeps concepts fresh without requiring deep focus. Try scheduling a dedicated pocket of time, like early morning or a set window before your shift starts, rather than waiting for spare energy at the end of the day.
When work is exhausting, switch to lighter review or documentation instead of pushing through complex new concepts. Take intentional rest days so tired evenings do not spiral into multi-week gaps. Having a minimal threshold makes it much easier to get back on track whenever a disruption happens.