Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder. • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#131

Post by mnky9800n » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 2:54 PM UTC

jb1991 wrote: post #28

jb1991 wrote: post #17

I don't know you personally but I doubt cognitive decline has anything to do with this. As we age, we usually end up with more and more life responsibilities, beyond just the work we are doing. All of that is input to the brain and requires energy in response. The brain is not infinite. I often feel as you do, but then I have periods where I am as light and agile in my productivity as 20 years ago, maybe even more so…

Also, our standards improve as we age. I wrote a lot of high-energy seemingly clever code when I was younger, but it was nonsense and terrible to read. Now I would not allow myself such indulgence, and so I work differently, maybe at times more slowly, and it might seem this is due to less abilities, but actually it is due to wiser experience.

I returned to the first project I made as a software developer after being about ten years away from it. Never do that. Haha. But it was quite educational to see how my problem solving had changed. Fortunately I didn't need to refactor everything because if I did that would have been a nightmare.

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#132

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 2:54 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#133

Post by FlacoJones » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 2:55 PM UTC

jb1991 wrote: post #17

I don't know you personally but I doubt cognitive decline has anything to do with this. As we age, we usually end up with more and more life responsibilities, beyond just the work we are doing. All of that is input to the brain and requires energy in response. The brain is not infinite. I often feel as you do, but then I have periods where I am as light and agile in my productivity as 20 years ago, maybe even more so…

thank you for adding "(if you can)" to suggesting they relax...that is real

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#134

Post by MuffinFlavored » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 2:55 PM UTC

jb1991 wrote: post #17

I don't know you personally but I doubt cognitive decline has anything to do with this. As we age, we usually end up with more and more life responsibilities, beyond just the work we are doing. All of that is input to the brain and requires energy in response. The brain is not infinite. I often feel as you do, but then I have periods where I am as light and agile in my productivity as 20 years ago, maybe even more so…

> As we age, we usually end up with more and more life responsibilities

As somebody who far away from 40, how is one supposed to "look forward" to getting older given this likelihood?

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#135

Post by twowatches » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 2:56 PM UTC

It's social media that has turned our brains into mincemeat. I can't concentrate on anything for more than 5 minutes anymore. I'm definitely worse at coding than I was 10 years ago.

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#136

Post by Dowwie » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 2:57 PM UTC

What language are you porting to? Designs that worked in the prior language aren't usually applicable, or preferable, in another. People who are so heads-down-get-shit-done can be writing the next-gen API in a way that they really shouldn't be, in consideration of language differences. Maybe you're more cautious? There are benefits for both types of personalities in a team, and one isn't better than the other.

Your mental abilities aren't declining. You've got a lot more going on in your life than you used to.

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#137

Post by javier2 » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 2:57 PM UTC

Im 32 and feel have felt the same way on and off for a couple of years. I think it's 70% burnout and 30% just not being interested at all. To make progress, I have to write integration tests that use the API, and then implement it call by call. It gives me a clear goal and a failing test, and I can even compare the results with the original API. At least I find I can keep making progress using this approach, even if I have a bad day or a bad month.

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#138

Post by xxEightyxx » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 2:57 PM UTC

Hey no you're not declining! I think this happens to a lot of us from time to time! I have become fairly good at recognizing it in myself (mid 30's) and have learned what I need to do to get over the hump!

For me - it helps to step away from work. I mean, really step away to the point I completely forget about work. Go play pickleball, take a day trip, hike, swim, camp, try something entirely new that you have never done before (skydiving, SCUBA lessons, cross-country skiing), etc. The goal is to become immersed in your environment to the point it requires a great use of your mental capacity - in a way that is engaging and fun.

Even if I don't feel like stepping away from work and I disagree with myself that the issue is actually becoming too immersed in my work for too long, I have learned to simply default towards leaning on experience and getting away for a while.

By the time I come back to the same problem if I haven't already gathered a good idea as to how to go about it, I will at least have a new perspective; it's a win-win.

Please take care of your mental health, take care of yourself and don't be too hard on yourself. Give yourself a second chance, draw things out, get out of the office, take a break, and come back and approach the problem after you've refreshed yourself!

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#139

Post by softwaredoug » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 2:57 PM UTC

jb1991 wrote: post #17

I don't know you personally but I doubt cognitive decline has anything to do with this. As we age, we usually end up with more and more life responsibilities, beyond just the work we are doing. All of that is input to the brain and requires energy in response. The brain is not infinite. I often feel as you do, but then I have periods where I am as light and agile in my productivity as 20 years ago, maybe even more so…

I agree - I think cognitive decline is very gradual over life until older age. And experience makes up for it. Some abilities even improve. [1]

Responsibilities seem to multiply. And as you age you sometimes find you're not only caring for kids potentially but aging parents. It's a lot.

1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4015335/#:~:tex....

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#140

Post by algem » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 2:57 PM UTC

If you are worried about cognitive decline, I recommend starting weight training. I have found after weight training for under a year now my memory and mental capacity has increased. It’s likely that any consistent physical training will have the same effect. Not sure how active you are. This wouldn’t be a quick fix though.