Bruce said to take a day off and other programmer tips
Use your gifts wisely and recharge the mind and body
Real developers never take vacations! We code all of the time…
Perhaps you have heard advice like this. Or maybe worked at a company that implicitly implies it.
Choose wisely
Be careful who you listen to for advice. Look for someone who has had some long-term success. Not a flash in the pan.
Bruce Tate is someone I have followed for many years. I first saw him talk at No Fluff Just Stuff. After that, I read some of his books.
For this reason, I reached out to him for advice for developers. He offered three wonderful suggestions.
Protect the Asset
In Essentialism, The Disciplined Pursuit of Less Greg McKeown shares the importance of rest. He shares how numerous people have thought they could get away with less sleep and rest.
McKeown calls this “protecting the asset”. Of course, that asset is us. Our body and mind need rest.
went to this first off. He shared a suggestion that many developers overlook.
Take enough vacation including all the time off that is offered. Too many of us don’t take good care of ourselves, and it shows up later in the form of burnout.
Are you getting close to burnout? Have you taken a break from work? It could be as simple as going for a walk outside.
Like hitting the restart button on your computer. It makes things work better. A few days away can refresh your mind. Then you are ready to come back to your work.
Be curious
Novelty is a great way to find new foods and experiences. A few years ago we were in Washington DC. Our family tried Ethiopian food. It was quite interesting.
Developers need to learn new tips and techniques. This can keep us fresh and give us new perspectives. Bruce had this to say about learning.
Learn new languages and frameworks outside of those you usually use. You’ll be surprised how often this can happen on your employer’s time. Good employers want to see their talent develop.
He brings up a good point on how this benefits you and your employer. You might find new ways to solve problems. Similarly, develop new skills too. A real win-win.
Compassion
This one is particularly difficult for me. Similar to my coding brothers I can get irritable. Patience can be in short supply.
My former boss and friend Mike Freed used to call this Irritable Programmer Syndrome or IPS for short. We get deep into work and put on our headphones. Then someone bothers us. We can react quite gruffly.
Bruce’s last tidbit was this. “Treat others with respect and kindness.” This sounds like something we should have learned in Kindergarten. Although we all may need a periodical reminder.
To summarize Bruce Tate’s advice. Make sure you take time off to refresh. If you follow Bruce on Twitter or Instagram you know he does this.
Learn new languages and frameworks. See what others are doing. Take this learning back to your current job. It benefits your employer as well as you.
Finally, treat others with compassion. Don’t talk down to non-technical people. Meet them where they are and be patient.