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Getting too absorbed in side projects

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Re: Getting too absorbed in side projects

#111
post #40

I've got the same issue, but only for the first 80% of the project. At that point, the project becomes a burden I have to finish, otherwise I would have wasted my time. The initial burst of inspiration is always exciting: you've got a novel idea, there are no restrictions, no deadlines, no requirements. You don't care about bugs or beauty, just about making things happen. You could even abandon the project and it wou…

Thanks for your work with Bulma. I love using it :)

Re: Getting too absorbed in side projects

#112
My problem is I become relentless about making the software do what I want it to do.

If I know something should work, and I can’t get it to work, I’ll work on it for days weeks and even months.

I hate to say it but sometimes the thing I’m trying to do isn’t even important, it’s just that I MUST make it work.

Re: Getting too absorbed in side projects

#113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did the same thing when my kids were born (similar age difference), and it took approximately 4-5 years for me to burnout. I took for granted that my time was a limited resource, and left very little for myself (for rest, relaxation, and just plain enjoyment). I got to a point that I couldn't bring myself to even open a computer after I got home from work ... and while I recovered to an extent (I've had a number of…

How do you balance your own needs against those of your family's? My kids are 2.5 and 6 months, and I frequently stay up late to work on personal projects or even just drink beer and watch TV. Its hard being tired the next day, but the alternative is never taking any time for myself.

I did that for a long while ... and eventually decided that I preferred the alternative to being tired all the time ;)

Took a long time to realize, and of course YMMV. I had kids younger than most of my peers (~10 years early, when I was 20 ... it was all planned, perfectly on schedule), so when a few of my friends' wives became pregnant recently, I gave them all the same advice -- to give yourself time and space to learn how to integrate this new aspect into your life. I went into it trying to maintain my "me time", with side-projects, writing books, making games, reading/writing blogs, participating in online communities (/. at the time), etc ... and I burned out, so my advice to them (and to you) is to learn how to re-balance your priorities. Beer and TV will kick your ass the next day if you stay up late, and eventually it'll catch up to you. Better to go in cycles ... have some "benders" from time to time where you hang out with friends, play games, drink beer, watch TV; and then have a stretch of time that you go to bed at a reasonable (and consistent) hour, exercise, etc.

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