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Making Time for Side Projects

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Re: Making Time for Side Projects

#31

Post by d3ad1ysp0rk »

0xfeba wrote: post #18
calferreira wrote: post #4

I think the main issue on side projects is managing your own expectations. You have to be realistic and think that as the name implies is something you do on the side and it's not your main priority. So try to work on it as much as you can but don't blame yourself if you can't work on it for a day or a few days. We all have lives and have stuff to do that are more important then side projects otherwise they wouldn't…

How, with just an hour, do you manage to get anything meaningful done? I've tried that and I have to spend 10 minutes figuring out where I was, 15 minutes researching how to do the next bit that I want (esp. for a project in a new dev environment), 10 minutes upgrading various libraries or other stuff that is needed/needs updating, and then maybe 25 minutes of actual coding. I progresses very slowly. Maybe my side pr…

There are some methods to figure out where you were - I will not prescribe one, but a few are; leave work unfinished, manage a trello board with small functional pieces and prioritize the list, write lots of comments, write non-passing tests, etc.

Also, if you're putting in an hour a night, why are you updating packages?

Re: Making Time for Side Projects

#33

Post by dwightgunning »

d3ad1ysp0rk wrote: post #31
0xfeba wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How, with just an hour, do you manage to get anything meaningful done? I've tried that and I have to spend 10 minutes figuring out where I was, 15 minutes researching how to do the next bit that I want (esp. for a project in a new dev environment), 10 minutes upgrading various libraries or other stuff that is needed/needs updating, and then maybe 25 minutes of actual coding. I progresses very slowly. Maybe my side pr…

There are some methods to figure out where you were - I will not prescribe one, but a few are; leave work unfinished, manage a trello board with small functional pieces and prioritize the list, write lots of comments, write non-passing tests, etc. Also, if you're putting in an hour a night, why are you updating packages?

I find that writing myself a note with the next couple of things I need to do or try out (if I'm stuck) really helps.

Re: Making Time for Side Projects

#34

Post by ryandrake »

analogwzrd wrote: post #20

Regarding accepting meetings, etc. Robert Heinlein has a great quote... “Do not confuse "duty" with what other people expect of you; they are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect. But there is no reward…

But the article is about side projects, i.e. projects being done at home or otherwise outside of work. Who the heck struggles with juggling meetings outside of work? Do people have conference rooms in their house or something?

Re: Making Time for Side Projects

#35

Post by ryandrake »

0xfeba wrote: post #18
calferreira wrote: post #4

I think the main issue on side projects is managing your own expectations. You have to be realistic and think that as the name implies is something you do on the side and it's not your main priority. So try to work on it as much as you can but don't blame yourself if you can't work on it for a day or a few days. We all have lives and have stuff to do that are more important then side projects otherwise they wouldn't…

How, with just an hour, do you manage to get anything meaningful done? I've tried that and I have to spend 10 minutes figuring out where I was, 15 minutes researching how to do the next bit that I want (esp. for a project in a new dev environment), 10 minutes upgrading various libraries or other stuff that is needed/needs updating, and then maybe 25 minutes of actual coding. I progresses very slowly. Maybe my side pr…

Funny--when you get married, have a child, etc. all of a sudden you learn by necessity how to be productive with a whole bunch of 15-minute timeslots (perforated by feeding, crying, playtime, etc.) instead of a single, peaceful 4-hour session.

Re: Making Time for Side Projects

#36

Post by erikb »

The question is how, after working 40+ of the best hours of your life on other things, spending another two hours in traffic and another two hours with your family. Then somehow you need to get out of the tv chair and to your desk and put in another two to four hours of side project work. The question is not about understanding that consuming != producing.

Re: Making Time for Side Projects

#37

Post by anthonylukach »

For me (and I'm guessing a lot of other developers) the hard part is balancing time between side projects and the other passions in life. I love diving in to a new technology and building things when I get home from work, I have seemingly bottomless energy for that. The real hard part is ensuring that you're not neglecting all the other responsibilities in life: partner, kids, friends, chores, etc.

The thing about the software industry is that there is always so much to learn. I always wonder how field leaders manage their personal lives whilst remaining sharp and current on emerging technologies and methodologies. That's the real challenge, staying abreast on the state of the art while not becoming a hermit.

Re: Making Time for Side Projects

#38

Post by TrevorJ »

I don't totally buy the "Stop doing things you hate" advice. I've learned over the years that anything worth doing is going to walk you through the valley of drudgery at some point. Doing things well always includes aspects that you may not enjoy, but many times it is worth working on it anyway to get to the goal.

Re: Making Time for Side Projects

#39

Post by cableshaft »

ryandrake wrote: post #34
analogwzrd wrote: post #20

Regarding accepting meetings, etc. Robert Heinlein has a great quote... “Do not confuse "duty" with what other people expect of you; they are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect. But there is no reward…

But the article is about side projects, i.e. projects being done at home or otherwise outside of work. Who the heck struggles with juggling meetings outside of work? Do people have conference rooms in their house or something?

Do you have friends that invite you to things on a regular basis, or groups you belong to that ask you to host or present? It's possible for that to take up all of your spare time if you let it. I kinda did for awhile, I've been trying to reign it in a bit lately.

Re: Making Time for Side Projects

#40

Post by tmaly »

Taking action is probably the best advice one can get out of that post.

I have a small side project I have been working on over the past couple of years. If I am lucky I get a hour a day Monday to Friday to work on it. You really have to push yourself if you want to make progress on something.

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