I have the opposite problem. I need to code less per day and work on the other important things in my life.
Write Code Every Day
31–40 of 221 posts
Re: Write Code Every Day
#32I am a total convert to the "don't break the chain" idea. I started writing a book on game programming[1] about four years ago. At the time, I was working at EA, miserable, and highly motivated to have the book done so it could help pad my resume. I got a book deal (O'Reilly) then, when that fell through, another (Apress). I had a real writing schedule, and a very supportive wife, and I would work on it for hours at a time.
Then I left the game industry, moved across the country, and had another kid. Suddenly, motivation and time were scarce. I backed out of the book deal and basically put it on hiatus for two years. I still really wanted to finish it but it just wasn't happening.
About a year ago, I realized that if I didn't finish it soon, I never would. My familiarity with the domain was fading every day. I didn't want the project to be a failure, so I decided to try writing every day.
I didn't have a set goal each day, but I try to do around 30-45 minutes. That ends up being ~500 words of first draft, ~1,000 words of later revisions.
In the past 309 days, I've finished 12 chapters. That's 59,568 words, plus a few thousand more for intro sections. I've redesigned the site twice, set up a mailing list, gotten a business license, and a bunch of other grunt work.
I'm about halfway through the very last chapter now (!). In less than a month, I should be able to say the book is done. (Though what I mean is that the manuscript is done, I'll be doing ebook and print versions after that.)
I absolutely could not have done this without working on it every day.
[1]: http://gameprogrammingpatterns.com/Re: Write Code Every Day
#33Telling a programmer to write code every day is a bit like asking an aspiring carpenter to swing a hammer: it's a necessary component of improving your skills and building things, but it is also a narrow, technical task that has limited value in isolation. Having said that, programmers should spend at least as much time reading and thinking about code as they do writing it. You can write code for hours each day and d…
I'd agree with you if my primary desire were to improve my ability as a programmer. Unfortunately, at least at this time, it's not. My major concern is getting meaningful work done. I spend far too much time thinking and reading about technologies, techniques, and planning for the future - more time needs to be spent on actually implementing all the amazing stuff that you want to exist.
Re: Write Code Every Day
#34Telling a programmer to write code every day is a bit like asking an aspiring carpenter to swing a hammer: it's a necessary component of improving your skills and building things, but it is also a narrow, technical task that has limited value in isolation. Having said that, programmers should spend at least as much time reading and thinking about code as they do writing it. You can write code for hours each day and d…
The best way to employ the things you learn and discover when reading and thinking about code, is to write code. All the reading and thinking is no good without the part where you write code.
Re: Write Code Every Day
#35In the long run, this is unhealthy. Yes, it makes you more productive, but what if you fall in love, get sick, have a child...? Then you feel guilty about not catering to your side projects and guilt breeds procrastination. I learned how to break down work into small pieces and rather finish one small piece and then call it a day instead of leaving something half-working for the next day. Because of this, I left proj…
I think you might be conflating things a bit. The guilt about a lack of productivity already exists (daily work, or not). Doing daily work helps to mitigate it to a large degree. Naturally if I get sick I'll be comfortable enough to "let it slide". If anything I'll be eager to get back to work right when I can.
I do agree that breaking things into tiny tasks is the best way to go, it's helped me tremendously. More than anything else though it seems that passion is the largest "secret ingredient". If you're not passionate about the work it just won't happen, regardless of what happens in your life.
Re: Write Code Every Day
#36I am a total convert to the "don't break the chain" idea. I started writing a book on game programming[1] about four years ago. At the time, I was working at EA, miserable, and highly motivated to have the book done so it could help pad my resume. I got a book deal (O'Reilly) then, when that fell through, another (Apress). I had a real writing schedule, and a very supportive wife, and I would work on it for hours at…
I've read a few of your chapters and I think you're doing a great job. Keep it up!
Re: Write Code Every Day
#37I am a total convert to the "don't break the chain" idea. I started writing a book on game programming[1] about four years ago. At the time, I was working at EA, miserable, and highly motivated to have the book done so it could help pad my resume. I got a book deal (O'Reilly) then, when that fell through, another (Apress). I had a real writing schedule, and a very supportive wife, and I would work on it for hours at…
The "don't break the chain" rule is brittle: if you do break the chain, your motivation can crater. I think [Beeminder](http://beeminder.com/) has a clever solution to this problem; it gives you a way to track and enforce your goals while being robust to the occasional lapse.
Re: Write Code Every Day
#38This "don't break the chain" approach has worked extremely well for me, particularly during busy periods of high stress. I first learned about it in my college writing classes, where you're supposed to write something, anything, meaningless jibberish even, every single morning. Recently I read about Seinfeld using this approach to great successs. Every day he works on material, and puts a big, fat, "X" on the calenda…
There's actually a site called http://dontbreakthechain.com/ which serves as a bit of motivation for getting personal development work done. I've had issues with remembering to check the site everyday even if the work gets done, but perhaps making it the homepage would help.
Re: Write Code Every Day
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
I would say changing to a more consistent work schedule is definitely a good idea, but don't lose the "schedule" part. There's a huge advantage to being able to say "okay, now is work time". However, after writing that I imagine it's a very personal thing, not everyone will work best in the same way.
Haha yeah I totally agree there. I've got a time allotted every day after work that I really could fill with at least 30 minutes of coding, but somehow it gets diverted to god-knows-what.
Yeah, that's always the hardest part. Messing around on HN/Reddit/Twitter/etc. and/or watching TV - it's so easy to not even realize that you're procrastinating. I find that when I realize what I'm doing I can usually extract myself and get to work - the hard part is just getting to that point!
Re: Write Code Every Day
#40Telling a programmer to write code every day is a bit like asking an aspiring carpenter to swing a hammer: it's a necessary component of improving your skills and building things, but it is also a narrow, technical task that has limited value in isolation. Having said that, programmers should spend at least as much time reading and thinking about code as they do writing it. You can write code for hours each day and d…
I'd agree with you if my primary desire were to improve my ability as a programmer. Unfortunately, at least at this time, it's not. My major concern is getting meaningful work done. I spend far too much time thinking and reading about technologies, techniques, and planning for the future - more time needs to be spent on actually implementing all the amazing stuff that you want to exist.
As someone with the opposite problem/concern, can I request your strategies for reading and thinking about technologies and techniques?