21–30 of 136 posts
Try to get rid of the commute. That's two wasted hours every day. I have a similar 1hour commute but I only need to be in the office 1 day a week. On the other 4 days I get up at the same time (5:30-6:00am) and I work on my side projects until 8am when I bring my daughter to school and my home-work day starts.
Get a self-driving car and just do the side-projects during the commute.
On the weekend, we both make sure the other has "my time." It's important. I used to get 2hrs+ a night to hack. My productivity at work wasn't nearly as good as it is now. I don't miss it. I like family life way more. My life as a developer has never been better.
I've only really managed side projects during my paternity leave whilst the baby was sleeping or during a period of gardening leave. That's more than prior to kids as I spent most of my free time climbing, skiing and going out. We also rebuilt our house last winter and finished the interior off over the past year. This spring/summer my 'side project' is a lot of manual labour sorting out our garden.
I've always learnt new stuff at work and have been lucky enough to get work that has been pretty new and different each time which obviously helps a lot.
I work on side projects in the evenings, and at the weekends. Having kids has impacted free-time, as it always will. In order to maximise productive time, I gave up video-games entirely.
1. Be good. 2. Be good enough to remote. 3. Move to someplace cheap (or be born there). 4. Work remote part-time while making a killing at the same time(compared to local). 5. Profit time with your new/current procured family. My plan basically. Only step 5 to go.
That's about 10 to 12 hours a day. It's a lot but I'm usually working on contract or my own business so I love my work.
I don't really believe in side projects. I believe in taking a plunge.
I'm like you - full time job, wife (who also works full time), 2 kids under age of 6. I too am tired some nights but some things have changed (for the better): 1. Changed jobs to a balanced work/life job. 2. No longer a developer, but still in IT. 3. 12 minute walking commute (no buses, cars, or bikes) 4. Moved downtown - smaller house than most people, but as noted in #3, walking commute to pretty much everything. 5…
1) sleep (a normal amount, not extra)
2) being an OK parent
3) a house that is almost always fairly clean
4) side projects/learning
5) friends
6) a relationship with your partner/spouse that's doing OK
7) actual solo leisure time
Pick four. :-/
[EDIT] Oh, and "staying halfway in shape" comes out of your "actual solo leisure time" hours or possibly "friends" hours if you have the right kind of friends for that.