A breakdown of 4 simple software engineering and coding habits that improved my productivity. These include keyboard shortcuts, learning to say no, reaching flow state faster, and keeping a big book of commands handy.
Points 2->4 have saved me from a ton of unnecessary stress over the years, but point 1 was completely new to me!! It makes so much sense though so I’m excited to start putting it into practice.
Thank you for sharing and thank you for the shoutout!
Thanks for the article! The first point hit pretty close to home. Getting started is the hardest part of any project, so it helps a lot to use the last few minutes of each workday to put into writing the next few steps needed to be taken, broken down as much as possible. This allows me to get into the groove of doing more easily the next day.
Every tip is gold. I usually like to finish my tasks but I see your point. The next day it takes me a while to get back into the same state of mind where I left. It goes the same for writing. Writing down the next steps is handy, I will give this a try.
Also, great point about getting good at using keyboard shortcuts. Most of the smart programmers I've come across are really good at this. It's something not emphasised enough to young developers, but it boosts your productivity several folds.
Great article. Thank you! You speak from my heart. I struggled with point 3 in particular for years and was constantly annoyed with myself. Especially when it came to the terminal. I often thought -- Wait a minute, you've looked for this before. -- At some point, out of interest, I started writing my own little terminal and built in a context-based autocompleter. Cogno emerged from this. At least for the terminal my search is over.
I often struggled with the first one. If I left something "in the middle" it chased me in my sleep.
I learned from Cal Newport the idea of a "shutdown routine" to leave everything ready for the next session. Kind of like making your bed to come back home and having a nice bed to sleep.
Really nice list, specially agree with the "Leave work slightly unfinished for easier flow the next day" tip.
Reminds me of this Hemingway quote
“The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day when you are writing a novel you will never be stuck. That is the most valuable thing I can tell you so try to remember it.”
Nice tips. I've been fighting the shortcuts advice, I always thought it's a bit overrated. I'm curious to know how much time (and not only mouse clicks) does it actually save?
I tried it for a few hours, and the adjustment was too hard. Every now and than I think whether should I try again (he mentions a ~50% increase in typing speed).
I think the reaching flow state faster has the biggest affect on productivity. For me, it is combined with staying with the flow state, reducing those bumps as much as you can beforehand. For example, writing down the outline of the logic with pseudo code and finishing all the small tasks before hand. So when I start the next day, not only can I jump straight back to action, I'll also have an easier time reaching the end.
Yet another excellent article!!
Points 2->4 have saved me from a ton of unnecessary stress over the years, but point 1 was completely new to me!! It makes so much sense though so I’m excited to start putting it into practice.
Thank you for sharing and thank you for the shoutout!
Thanks for the article! The first point hit pretty close to home. Getting started is the hardest part of any project, so it helps a lot to use the last few minutes of each workday to put into writing the next few steps needed to be taken, broken down as much as possible. This allows me to get into the groove of doing more easily the next day.
That "no" cartoon was chefs kiss
This point is interesting to me
"I said no to low-impact tasks."
Is this possible? Many times there is work to do that provides low impact and, still, it's work that must to be done.
What do you think?
Great article by the way! 👏
Every tip is gold. I usually like to finish my tasks but I see your point. The next day it takes me a while to get back into the same state of mind where I left. It goes the same for writing. Writing down the next steps is handy, I will give this a try.
Also, great point about getting good at using keyboard shortcuts. Most of the smart programmers I've come across are really good at this. It's something not emphasised enough to young developers, but it boosts your productivity several folds.
I hadn’t thought of that first one but now that you mention it, I’m definitely going to give it a go.
Strong agree with 2-4. Great article 💯
Thanks for the mention as well by the way!
thanks for this article
Point 1 of leaving the work slightly unfinished marries well with work that is done regularly e.g. professional work and personal habits.
Great article. Thank you! You speak from my heart. I struggled with point 3 in particular for years and was constantly annoyed with myself. Especially when it came to the terminal. I often thought -- Wait a minute, you've looked for this before. -- At some point, out of interest, I started writing my own little terminal and built in a context-based autocompleter. Cogno emerged from this. At least for the terminal my search is over.
I often struggled with the first one. If I left something "in the middle" it chased me in my sleep.
I learned from Cal Newport the idea of a "shutdown routine" to leave everything ready for the next session. Kind of like making your bed to come back home and having a nice bed to sleep.
Really nice list, specially agree with the "Leave work slightly unfinished for easier flow the next day" tip.
Reminds me of this Hemingway quote
“The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day when you are writing a novel you will never be stuck. That is the most valuable thing I can tell you so try to remember it.”
― Ernest Hemingway
nice post!
Nice tips. I've been fighting the shortcuts advice, I always thought it's a bit overrated. I'm curious to know how much time (and not only mouse clicks) does it actually save?
A good friend of mine is a huge fun of configurable keyboard, like discussed here: https://fangpenlin.com/posts/2019/09/18/ninja-speed-vim-like-debugging-with-ergonomic-keyboard-and-trackpad/
I tried it for a few hours, and the adjustment was too hard. Every now and than I think whether should I try again (he mentions a ~50% increase in typing speed).
I think the reaching flow state faster has the biggest affect on productivity. For me, it is combined with staying with the flow state, reducing those bumps as much as you can beforehand. For example, writing down the outline of the logic with pseudo code and finishing all the small tasks before hand. So when I start the next day, not only can I jump straight back to action, I'll also have an easier time reaching the end.