What do you do to give yourself a break from coding?

Publish Date: Sep 14 '20

8 12

As a developer, it is easy to enter a loop where you spend the whole week coding all the time and not taking the necessary time to rest.

Since last year, I started working on several projects aside from my main job and it also required me to keep learning a lot of stuff. Right after it, the pandemic started and, as I was completely isolated, I included more and more code-related tasks on my routine. This experience has got to a point where my anxiety crises were hitting hard and making me unable to work, learn and enjoy my life properly.

So I decided to include different activities on my routine and force myself to take care of my work/life balance. That is when I started playing some online games more often and I created a Twitch channel to share it with everybody.

What about you? Do you also struggle with it?
Share your experiences and workarounds with me!

Comments 12 total

Luca ScalaSep 14, 2020
Apart from spending a lot of time with my wife and my dog, I found that reading books is very helpful. You can also alternate novels or classics to technical books!
- Thiago PachecoSep 14, 2020
  That is indeed really good!
  Do you have some recommendations?
  - Luca ScalaSep 14, 2020
    I’m reading “ The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide“, just after completing “Effective JavaScript”
    - Thiago PachecoSep 14, 2020
      Awesome, thank you for sharing that, Luca!
Derek CrossonSep 14, 2020
Cook, read books, listen to music, write on my blog, chat to friends. I usually don't write code much after hours unless I'm trying to learn something. I've been burnt out before from working long hours and won't let this happen again.
scroung720Sep 14, 2020
Learning courses of anything, reading books, cleaning the house or doing the dishes
James LauSep 15, 2020
As a new father (son is now 2 years old), I am reading youth books that my school (elementary school, high school, college, etc.) might not of covered. It also helps me to figure out what books are good for my growing son. The books maybe juvenile, but they're fast to read.

I've also started reading philosophy and meditation books especially for those who are in high stress level development jobs.
- Thiago PachecoSep 15, 2020
  That's great James. It is amazing to spend time with a kid, teaching and playing with them!
  
  Do you have good recommendations for philosophy and meditation books?
Jephte ColinSep 17, 2020
Go out with the boys, drink some beers. Or anything that can get my mind off that doesn't involve staring at a screen or a book. Something that doesn't involve much brain juice.
Dhruv gargFeb 4, 2021
Anime, Music, Movies, and Football.
Roger FacoMar 15, 2021
I used to play basketball, but Itry to play games and watch movies, but I need movement.
Hope you guys doin' well ovethere!
- Thiago PachecoMar 16, 2021
  That sounds good Roger, you should get back to playing basketball (after COVID times of course)!

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Thiago Pacheco @pacheco

What do you do to give yourself a break from coding?

Comments 12 total