Ask HN: Is it too much to work AND play with tech?

#1

Post by dannyism » Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 5:46 AM UTC

After years of coding on and off as a hobby, I'm starting to gain enough skill that it's tempting to apply for a job in tech. However, one major fear is that burnout from work will kill my motivation to follow my true passions. I have some very specific projects in mind (related to music production / sound synthesis, if anyone cares to know), and they mean a lot more to me than money ever will. I already suffer from some RSI symptoms due to the amount of time I spend working with my desktop workstation at home, which makes me doubly cautious.

Has anyone else faced similar challenges? Is it feasible or advisable to simultaneously balance work and hobbies in software engineering?

Re: Ask HN: Is it too much to work AND play with tech?

#2

Post by ddingus » Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 6:06 AM UTC

I know people who do both, and I know people who do one or the other.

A lot of whether this can work depends on your work environment. If it's one that fits you well, and one where what they require of you isn't totally draining, it's likely you will find yourself willing to follow your passions.

Should it be draining, or a tough environment, the cost may be those passions.

Why do you want a job in tech?

That's as important as the potential risks to your current passions.

Are you able to follow those passions without a tech job?

Could you potentially find one with more synergy? It's always good to find work that resonates in this way. Many of us have.

There is also the fact that any burnout could put your passions at risk. Are you at risk in your current job?

Factoring all that down, you are most concerned about burnout, and you are not entirely sure where your burnout level is.

Physically, you've got some warning signs. Regardless of how you proceed, it's advisable to address those right now.

Do you have access to health care? (I have to ask in the US, because large numbers of us find that expensive, inaccessible) Bring this up. Make a plan.

You seem young. Deal with the very basics no matter what.

That's all I got.

Re: Ask HN: Is it too much to work AND play with tech?

#3

Post by jlangenauer » Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 6:08 AM UTC

It can be. Certainly for me, the joy I got from experimenting with tech pretty much declined in the decade or so since I started working full time with computers. Now, after the working day, I try to avoid computers, preferring instead things like cooking, walking outside, or playing piano.

So I can’t give you any advice, other than to say your fears are well-founded.

Re: Ask HN: Is it too much to work AND play with tech?

#4

Post by rdbell » Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 6:09 AM UTC

Consider trying an ortholinear split keyboard like the Ergodox EZ for your RSI.

I was starting to experience wrist pain after several 12-hour days of vim. Ergodox solved the problem for me.

The learning process is annoying and you'll probably be tempted to give up during the first couple weeks, but the benefits are worth the learning curve.

Re: Ask HN: Is it too much to work AND play with tech?

#5

Post by jon_richards » Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 6:18 AM UTC

rdbell wrote: post #4

Consider trying an ortholinear split keyboard like the Ergodox EZ for your RSI. I was starting to experience wrist pain after several 12-hour days of vim. Ergodox solved the problem for me. The learning process is annoying and you'll probably be tempted to give up during the first couple weeks, but the benefits are worth the learning curve.

An ergonomic mouse can also be very important.

If you travel a lot, the microsoft sculpt keyboard+mouse is great. It's not the most ergonomic, but it's alright and a lot more compact than anything else I've seen.

Re: Ask HN: Is it too much to work AND play with tech?

#6

Post by datafatmunger » Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 6:19 AM UTC

I made a very conscious decision to refocus my creative energy from hobby projects (I was busy with making music/bands/production) into my "tech" career 10+ years ago. This was one of the most dramatic multiplier decisions of my life. Everything is still revolving around tech in some way, but in fantastic manifestations … community building, non-profit founding, teaching at a college level, co-working, art/design residencies/exhibitions/publications, and a handful of companies … it’s been very enriching, and easily one of the top 5 good decisions I've made.

Re: Ask HN: Is it too much to work AND play with tech?

#7

Post by winrid » Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 6:31 AM UTC

You only have so much energy in a day. You will just have to be cognisant about how you feel during the day so you don't go home tired all the time.

I have been in tech for eight years now and I still go home and code on my side projects every night.

I say go for it. I was starting school for mechanical engineering because I thought I was done with software. That was after doing consulting for a couple years (first job).

I think that was about seven years ago. I only did one semester before things happened, I moved and ended up at my first office job. No regrets.

Re: Ask HN: Is it too much to work AND play with tech?

#8

Post by voipspear » Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 6:41 AM UTC

I write software as both a career and also a hobby. I’ve been doing this for many years and I still love it.

My advice to you is to go for it.

About your RSI — I have suffered with this for many years. I found that switching my keyboard to a new one would bring instant relief. The only problem is that the new keyboards were lasting me shorter and shorter times. I remember I was getting down to switching my keyboard every 11-13 days!

And then I found a permanent solution. I now go for a massage every 3-4 weeks with the focus being on my arms, neck, hands. Since I started this, I haven’t replaced my keyboard in 2 years!

Re: Ask HN: Is it too much to work AND play with tech?

#9

Post by mnm1 » Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 6:46 AM UTC

Don't fuck around with your RSI. Get a proper adjustable desk / chair / ergo everything (I like the Rollermouse Red / Kinesis Advantage 2 but you need to find what works for you). See the doc. Go to massage/chiropractor/PT/acupuncture/whatever works for you. Do not work through pain. That should be your number one priority. If you fuck around it's a good possibility you won't be working or having as a hobby anything to do with computers. That's no exaggeration. For a long time I had to stop all non-work computing and cut down severely on work computing. I have optimized the hell out of my workflow. If you're a native English speaker, you may be able to use voice to code, but I wouldn't count on it (I have an accent, so voice recognition is useless). As far as whether you can do both work and hobby coding without losing passion for your coding hobby, that really depends on you. I can't really. Nothing to do with RSI. That's just the nature of work. For me. Others happily do it. That's a question only you can answer and likely only after trying. Good luck. And don't fuck around w/ your RSI if you care about future computing.

Re: Ask HN: Is it too much to work AND play with tech?

#10

Post by its_the_future » Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 7:05 AM UTC

voipspear wrote: post #8

I write software as both a career and also a hobby. I’ve been doing this for many years and I still love it. My advice to you is to go for it. About your RSI — I have suffered with this for many years. I found that switching my keyboard to a new one would bring instant relief. The only problem is that the new keyboards were lasting me shorter and shorter times. I remember I was getting down to switching my keyboard e…

I find that if the angle of my forearms is downward, I get a creeping RSI brewing on top of my hands. Adjusting my seating and/or sitting position so my forearms are horizontal and my wrists are resting and my hands can relax gets rid of the constant tension and creeping pain. YMMV