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Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?

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Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?

#11
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand, but you might want to ask why you find coding so taxing on your mental health. Maybe coding per se doesn't cause the problem, but the rest of the job or work environment. I don't get the same pleasure from writing code that I did two or three decades ago, but I don't find it particularly frustrating or bad for my mental health, either. Perhaps you can come to terms with that. Any job will have frustrati…

I feel that most of it is pointless. I'm past the stage where I can argue with people over stupid engineering architecture decisions. It's all full of BS and ego. Most people would rather die defending their favorite language/stack/framework than change their POV. I'm tired of wasting my time on countless meetings trying to "convince my engineering team-mates to write tests/use strongly typed languages/avoid new-age…

I get it. I freelance for small companies that don't have all of that nonsense, usually working directly for the owner or a stakeholder who can make decisions.

I gave up with the technical arguments a long time ago, too much effort trying to swim against the current. You get less of that outside of the software industry -- I worked for a long time in enterprise logistics where the team had to focus a lot more on solving business problems and a lot less on "best practices" or the latest language or framework. Not exciting but not as likely to induce rage, either.

Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?

#12
I drifted in and out of management up to a high level throughout my career. My last stint in my 60s was back as a coder. I was offered a management position but turned it down. If you think coding is unsatisfying you may be disappointed by management. I found it worse (but better paid).

Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?

#13
Have you considered project management roles? I have taken on stints as project manager for IT projects both within the same company as well as by changing jobs. It is less of a leadership role and more of an understanding issues and resolving them through people actually doing the work.

With 15 years experience, you must have had times you were a team leader or even a designer. Those roles can be amplified and used as a stepping stone.

Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?

#15
I can give you some advice. Imagine your favorite activity that you can do for free even on weekends. Look for such a job.

I am a programmer from Russia. I live in Siberia. I have not been able to find a job for a year. I continue to look, but I have already started to do some part-time work.

I participate in low-paid projects on image marking for training neural networks, checking the quality of their work.

I wanted to get a job in delivery, but our city is too small, and there is not even a delivery service. The only work in our city is drivers and store clerks, but also very low-paid (USD 300 per month).

I am doing a project to create a new programming language based on the C language, to unload the human brain from programming and give the opportunity to write programs in a human language. If you are interested, there is the first link to the article on my site azhibaev.com

Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?

#17
I started as a programmer than moved to management position of team of 8, mainly because I felt I wanted more impact on the projects I worked on, I still code as a hobby. Now I’m doing product management, and I enjoy it very much, but it’s definitely connected to my talkative personality and my enjoyment from talking about ideas, also the feeling that no programmer can slip out of responsibility by talking about technology with me also helps because I feel like things are moving fast and for the better understand my responsibility

Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?

#18
Consider taking a sabbatical if you can afford it. Reflect on what got you where you are today, and imagine where you want to be tomorrow. Let your mind disconnect from the day to day rigor of development. I have done this a few times in my career, and each time it keeps me centered on what is important to me. Hope this helps.

Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?

#19
post #18

Consider taking a sabbatical if you can afford it. Reflect on what got you where you are today, and imagine where you want to be tomorrow. Let your mind disconnect from the day to day rigor of development. I have done this a few times in my career, and each time it keeps me centered on what is important to me. Hope this helps.

I'm taking a 9 month sabbatical next year so I can learn to enjoy coding again. It's not coding that bugs me, it's all the BS you have to deal with modern management practices that makes it unbearable.

I did management a few times and didn't like it. Keep in mind that no matter what you do, if you're in a corporate environment, that's still going to be a problem.

Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?

#20
post #15

I can give you some advice. Imagine your favorite activity that you can do for free even on weekends. Look for such a job. I am a programmer from Russia. I live in Siberia. I have not been able to find a job for a year. I continue to look, but I have already started to do some part-time work. I participate in low-paid projects on image marking for training neural networks, checking the quality of their work. I wanted…

> Imagine your favorite activity that you can do for free even on weekends. Look for such a job.

Sounds like a good way to start hating your favourite activity.

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