Importance of Side Projects

I started programming very young. I initially didn't want to get into professional programming because I didn't want to ruin my hobby. But reality set it in and I needed a decent-paying job.

For the first few years, I literally did zero programming on the side. I simply didn't have the energy left. I used it all up at work.

But then a couple years ago, I started having enough energy. Now, I love to do side projects... That is, if I can find one worthy of stealing my free time. (Lately that hasn't been a problem, though.)

So I can imagine it quite readily, even for the most avid programmer.

Per my contract, every creative thought and act I perform while employed belongs to my employer. My contract could be interpreted to mean that even my comments here are owned by my employer. Rather demotivating for genuine side-projects.

You are protected from this completely in the state of California. One of the many reasons this state is so great.

I have mixed feelings about side projects. Sure it sounds good and looks good but let me tell you my own example.

I am a single core processor.

I am pretty much capable of doing pretty much just one thing at a time. I've tried to multi-task to the point of switching off from what I'm doing at work to something else but it just doesn't work. One or both of them suffer.

I tend to be engrossed in what I'm doing at work. If I'm bored with what I'm doing I'm in the wrong job and that just doesn't last long before I throw in the towel.

Sometimes I'll work on that problem more. Sometimes I'll just do research/reading on that or related topics.

But I just don't really have the knack of switching off from solving that problem and picking up something else with equal vigour.

I have the same issue when it comes to learning new programming languages. I tend to have limited success when doing it on my own. Where I succeed is when I HAVE TO learn a new language, typically because that's now my job.

It reminds me of the scene from Swordfish where Travolta and Jackman are being chased in the car by a hit team, Travolta hands over the wheel to man the machine gun. Jackman says "I don't know how to drive this." "Learn!" was the response.

I get the feeling that the US (I'm Australian) has cultural differences that come into play here. For example, the education system in the US seems to have a very strong focus on extracurricular activities, something that doesn't seem to exist (to anywhere near that degree) in Australia. This includes sports, social clubs, community service and so on.

So much so that it can be an important part of getting into the right college and then the right graduate school (Australian universities, at least when I got my degree, typically just looked at your Tertiary Entrance Score and that's about it; in fact the whole system was AUTOMATED on that). The TES being a scaled combination of exam and coursework.

I wonder if there is a culture of multitasking because of this?

Whatever the case... I am a single core processor.

I understand the issues with being "single core processor" developer. The way to deal with it is to set aside one or two-week time period for the side projects. Use those times exclusively for the projects, doing them one at a time. So far it has work well for me.