Lately I’ve gotten very nervous and tired and I think breaks are important but I am not sure how long of a break is okay or not. Professional devs working a real tech job don’t actually take breaks so…what makes sense for a beginner? I am also worried that I have been at this for a bit but not as far as someone who did this in 9 months and got a real job 
I´m not a professional programmer, just a student here, but I have a very balanced life.
If it´s a good ground to you to trust me, then a good routine may helps you too the best.
Actually, this video made me want to create a good routine and I used this knowledge to finally start learning to code and balance my life, because I was always tired at home and at work too. I didn´t know how to be better.
I just guessing, that since you are working for you Idol, you maybe have some overworking issues to proof yourself. With a strict daily routine and work routine, your body and mind will be prepared for what comes next and you just have to adjust your breaks and pauses correctly.
Pomodoro Technique may helps you to keep you focused. I´m not using it, I just read many good reviews about it on the internet, mainly from programmers.
It´s like a timer. Like you code for 25 minutes, then 5 min strict non-code thing to do, then 25 min coding again, then a 5 min pause again with strict non-code activity and so on.
If you force yourself to work in a very long session, your productivity reduces.
If you really have to work for a long time, I think Pomodoro techniqe helps you the best, if you really use the pauses for relaxing and you keep your coffeine intake on a healthy level.
Are you sure they don´t? I don´t belive it´s true.
Even if it´s true, don´t aim to be like that, just be a beginner yet and build yourself slowly. Don´t compare yourself to others, as you grow, others will change around you, but you will be always you.
Just think about what you achived so far: You working for your Idol, you have other jobs too already (according to other posts from you).
You like Bluey, wich makes you a great person in my eye.
You started months later than me and you are already doing much better than me.
Fill your pauses with such or better positive thoughts.
So, listen to your body, make small changes towards how do you want to use it and you will feel balanced and feeling less tired/stressed, when you need energy.
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Thank you so much for this in depth and very personal caring reply. I’ve been doing this thing where I code for hours and the day goes by so fast and I’m not sure if I’m doing the breaks thing correctly. Sometimes I forget to eat because of coding so I really do want a better healthier routine.
I have heard of the pomodoro technique. I think this will work for me. I’ll try it soon though my head is always bursting with ideas and things to do soooooooooooo I don’t know if I have the discipline for it but I have to try. So, I’ll try it and see how it goes.
Thank you for the video and links I will check them out for sure. HAHHAHAH I do so much coffee my personal joke is “40 lattes later and I made (fill in the blank).”
I don’t know how an actual tech job works at all tbh and I have listened to the FCC podcast. I would really like to hear how it actually works. I would start freelance though but if I actually get an opportunity to code for a company I will take it. Yeah right now I am making a blog website for a friend and that project in particular is using the most javascript I have ever used lol. Animating is so tiring (but I LOVE animating). Sometimes I wonder if I am cut out for this or not. I already get tired and sleepy over js imagine working with hundreds of thousands of lines of code…
It is so hard not to compare especially since everyone I used to know is university educated while I’m actually technically an unemployed uneducated hack, but yeah a lot of it is fear of failure and I definitely don’t wanna mess up in front of my idol. I am scared for that because what if I end up creating junk and she ends up not liking me. That’s so scary. Other people idolize athletes (Ronaldo or Rafael Nadal?) or singers (Taylor Swift??) but I idolize this tech ceo/founder so it really is high stakes for me.
Lol you don’t have to put yourself down to lift me up. I saw your profile and you always help others and have the answer! You are literally amazing! You will probably be upgraded to leader status soon one day! Yes my favorite character is Bingo actually do you have a favorite???
Okay thank you again this advice is so helpful and means a lot to me. DANKE SCHöNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
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Hi @Rc2025
- Pick one habit you want to do, and try it out for two weeks.
- Record it when you do it, and give yourself a small reward each time.
- At the end of the each week review how you tracked.
Habits develop slowly over time. You’ll also need to slowly decrease bad habits to get rid of them.
If something doesn’t work, try another habit. You can always try again later. Feeling tired from coding could mean you are overworking your brain. You may find it helpful to go digital free for a few days, or go for short walks, or do some light chores around the house.
Whatever the habit is; taking breaks, exercising, listening to music, reading novels or short stories, as @faust.levity mentioned, take a balanced approach. Every now and then rest to recharge and energise your body and mind.
Happy coding
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I’ve been working as a software engineer for almost the past decade, and I can assure you we do take breaks! We are, after all, human, and sometimes, the best resolution for solving problems/learning habits is to just get away from that problem (and a screen) and take a brief walk, especially outside (at least for me). The way I’ve relayed it to others is that you sometimes get so deep into the forest that you can’t see the forest through the trees. A lot of times, a step back and away will allow me to look at a problem in a different viewpoint than I did before or feel more refreshed and willing to take on whatever I have been learning and working on.
And as they’ve said, don’t compare yourself to others. You will do things in your own time, and that’s perfectly okay! And you’re always learning, even if you’re already doing the job. So, do it however you need to.
Happy Coding!
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This is great advice! Thanks a lot !!! I personally like to read and I think I’ll use that as my habit. I love short stories too so absolutely perfect! TBH maybe digital free would be better because being on the screen all day actually is oddly tiring idk what it is. Thanks again I appreciate it
Thanks a lot, Marcus!!! It helps a lot to hear from a professional dev how it actually is and tbh I thought pro devs work all day…well it helps to hear the truth. Yeah I agree with you sometimes taking some time away from it helps you solve the problem later and like it just comes to you when you’re away from it. This is great advice thank you. So true since we are inside all day going outside really does help.
Comparing…It is hard not to but yeah that is just one thing I have to fight hard to work on
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In regards to how companies treat breaks: my company allows me to take a break when I need to. So, I can’t speak for all companies. It’s going to be dependent upon the company you get into, unless you make your own product(s) then you set your own hours. Just use your best judgment on the frequency of your breaks, and how long they are, especially if you’re in a setting where you are not the owner.
And while you’re learning, take breaks as often as you need to! You got this!!
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