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Ask HN: How do you make time for side projects and Leetcode grinding

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Ask HN: How do you make time for side projects and Leetcode grinding

#1

Post by cebert »

Hi, I am looking for advice on how you make time for side projects and activities such as Leetcode grinding. I want to do both, but am having a difficult time making it happen.

It’s much more difficult to find time now that I have two small children (6 and 3). Also, my job is rewarding, but I easily have some 50-60 hour weeks semi-regularly and get on the hook for after-hours support. I’ve been a software engineer for over 15 years, so I’m pretty good at picking up new skills at this point.

I’d like to do some projects both because they’re fun and they are also helpful to highlight your skills. Additionally, Leetcode grinding is important in case you need to find a new job.

Re: Ask HN: How do you make time for side projects and Leetcode grinding

#3

Post by hamdouni »

50-60 hours weeks seems too much, even if it is semi-regularly, to have a side project. If you can "cut" 2-3 hours a week from your job, it helps to make space for some tinkering.

If you can, get up earlier every morning, before everybody wake up in the house. You must be very motivated if you are not a morning guy.

Other solution is to have a fixed schedule, like having a meeting with yourself, with a "not disturb" agreement with your family (very difficult with young kids)

Re: Ask HN: How do you make time for side projects and Leetcode grinding

#4

Post by rasulkireev »

For me side projects are fun and so I often think about them and when I get the chance I just remember that really want to work on it.

Leetcode I don't like. I know I should do it, but it's not fun and it is never in my head, so I just don't ever find the time for that.

The lesson here is if you want to do something you will find the time. So phrase it or make it such that either of these to are fun for you to do.

Re: Ask HN: How do you make time for side projects and Leetcode grinding

#5

Post by pylua »

hamdouni wrote: post #3

50-60 hours weeks seems too much, even if it is semi-regularly, to have a side project. If you can "cut" 2-3 hours a week from your job, it helps to make space for some tinkering. If you can, get up earlier every morning, before everybody wake up in the house. You must be very motivated if you are not a morning guy. Other solution is to have a fixed schedule, like having a meeting with yourself, with a "not disturb"…

For me, it is not the hours, but the context switch between work, side project, and family that is difficult .

Re: Ask HN: How do you make time for side projects and Leetcode grinding

#6

Post by maxrecursion »

My kids are 6 and 2. The only time I have for this is after they are in bed, which is around 9:30 when they're both fully asleep, and I'm usually just ready to sit down and mentally checkout at that point.

I feel motivated all day to go to my office at nights, like I do right now, but I'm so drained after parenting kids all day.

I'm sure you're aware of this having a 6 year old, but once the 3 year old is a bit older you'll be able to do it during the day. I study and do stuff on weekends with my 6 year old while he plays Minecraft on a laptop next to me. And I try to explain how mods work and such. So you're almost there to when you can have some time back to do that stuff during the day.

Re: Ask HN: How do you make time for side projects and Leetcode grinding

#7

Post by injeolmi_love »

Your job is too many hours unless you’re someone with innate natural energy. Judge your own health and if you start to see signs of illness cut back side projects. Maybe consider that even though your current job is rewarding, it might be trapping you in a dead end if you can’t both do your job and the side activities required to stay relevant.

Re: Ask HN: How do you make time for side projects and Leetcode grinding

#8

Post by medler »

If you’re regularly working 50-60 hours a week and have two small children, I don’t see how you can possibly make time for anything else. My advice is to cut back on your working hours if you can. Also, why do you want to grind leetcode? Unless you want to switch jobs in the next 3-6 months, grinding leetcode is not IMO a very good way to spend your limited time

Re: Ask HN: How do you make time for side projects and Leetcode grinding

#9

Post by dbsmith83 »

I think you will have to accept that you won't have time to sit down and grind leetcode or work on a project for very long. You might have only a few minutes to dedicate each day. I would see if you can find 15 minutes here and there, like the morning, lunch, and night. I bet you might be surprised at how much you can accomplish on a side project because you can think about it throughout the day, and then use your 15 minutes to code it up. Also, try and cut back at work... not getting roped into extra work and setting boundaries is also a skill. Let the younger devs cut their teeth on some issues. You might seem slightly rude at first, but once people understand you have boundaries, they will accept it. If they don't, then it's time to move on to someplace that does.

Re: Ask HN: How do you make time for side projects and Leetcode grinding

#10

Post by richardw »

Patio11 has some excellent old articles on working with very little time available. Can’t help you with leetcode but can with side projects:

https://www.kalzumeus.com/2010/03/20/running-a-software-busi...

https://www.kalzumeus.com/2009/10/04/work-smarter-not-harder...

My own advice: dip your toe into the water. Do 10m this week. Expand if you like it. Just get a little bit done and you’ll be solving the problem rather than thinking about it.

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