Ask HN: Can you code more than 40 hours/wk?

Greetings HN. I have a problem, at least I think I do. I want to code more because I'm really passionate about creating things. That has meant many different things throughout my life, but it has meant writing software since I discovered my first BBS. I have a full-time day job and, while I enjoy it, I want to create something on the side. I've been working on a side-project since early August but I feel like it's developing extremely slowly.

I can code about 40 hours a week. And I mean really code, not just being at work: heads-down, super-productive hacking. All told, I spend about 32-34 hours a week at work coding so I usually end up spending about 10 hours a week on my side-project. This comes out to around 6-8 hours coding and 2-4 hours designing, researching, etc. Those numbers change quite a bit depending on overtime so I typically get in about 25 hours a month on my side-project. The thing is that I want more, but I simply cannot bring myself to code more.

It's somewhat amorphous, but I know that sometime every week I'll hit a limit. While I can keep pushing on, my productivity takes a dive. If I persist, after a week or two of overdrive, my overall performance starts to dive. I thought something was wrong with me so I took several steps to try to improve through life-hacking: I began going to a gym 3 times a week, dramatically improved my diet, and have almost entirely kicked the smoking habit (down to 2 a day from a sadly higher number). Nothing seems to work. The fatigue from ultra-focused coding just leaves my mind incapable after 40 hours of further deep concentration.

I typically spend the rest of my free time learning new things, playing games, or being with my girlfriend. I definitely enjoy these things and like to have some balance, but I feel like I'm missing that hardcore edge to really hunker down and produce a quality side-project once in a while. I feel like the hacker version of a guy who needs steroids to take it to the next level. Is this normal? Are the 16 hour/day guys the exception? Is it really that naive to try a side-project and keep the day job? Am I demanding an unreasonable amount from myself?

Thanks in advance for any feedback you guys have.

I find learning new programming languages stimulating. Or re-learning old ones.

I think I'm roughly on par with you. I spend 40 give or take at work and then come home and bang away on a side project. My girlfriend luckily has some crochet projects usually so all day Sunday I can work on my side project (6-8 hours) plus about 2 hours a night another 4 nights out of the week. So say maybe 15 hours a week on my side project not counting other research and such I do for it (researching hosting plans, new gems to make life easier, etc).

Given that there are only 24 hours in a day, pulling a 16 hour day frequently means you're not getting much sleep nor much of anything else ;)

Worry less about what other people can do. It's an ego-oriented goal and it can end up causing you to feel defeated as well as lose track of your real purpose. Instead focus on whether or not you feel like you could do more, and whether or not it's worth it.

You've got plenty of company no matter what you decide. :)

Totally agree with you: even if I never end up using the language, learning new idioms and patterns has been immensely useful.

I still make time to learn new technologies, I just find the physical act of coding to have rapid mental diminishing returns after around 40 hours. That probably isn't a big deal if you were running a startup. Code for a while and then attend to the many other aspects of the venture. Having a day job can really throw that balance off, especially when working for a company that doesn't waste much time with meetings and busywork (which is a nice thing).

Is it about your side-project? You really should only be doing a side-project for your enjoyment and the challenge. However, if you stress about your productivity you might lose sight of the reason you started a side-project. I am the person who can concentrate 16 hours a day, or even days on end without sleep or breaks (in fact, i'm well known for it). It doesn't mean my projects get done faster, the real result has been making those around, like my family, feel neglected. I say enjoy your time with your girlfriend, focus your productivity at work where it matters, and just enjoy your projects. --- There is probably a good argument about the mental health of those, like myself, who can concentrate for days on end, months at a time. Actually, I think its great that you can relax after 10 hours a week on your project. I can never shut my mind down long enough stop working on my projects, or even sleep.