What healthy habits are helping you right now? For months I did not address this question with the honest introspection it deserved. I was waking up every day with one goal in mind: land an entry level role as a software engineer. Driven by my insatiable thirst for software engineering, I committed code to GitHub, engaged in Codewars, connected with software engineers and technical recruiters, applied to jobs, read up on data structures and algorithms, listened to tech podcasts, pair programmed, and even met with tech mentors on a regular basis. Something was missing, though, something integral to the process. In this blog post, I outline 4 healthy habits that transformed my life and continue to help me right now as a software engineer. I am not a health expert, I am merely sharing my personal experience.
- Adequate Sleep
This one is fundamental, but why is it so hard for me? Because I lie to myself about how much I need and find excuses to stay up longer than recommended. I cannot tell you how many YouTube videos, Netflix shows, and social media platforms I prefer to engage in over sleep.
On average, 8 hours of sleep does wonders for me. I feel more rested, focused, and productive after a good night’s sleep.
2. Exercise
Finding the time for this habit does not come easy to me. Like many people, I have a ton of other responsibilities outside of coding, and I described some of those earlier. So I started making time and stopped making excuses. Even a 10-minute stretch and deep breathing exercise can be so revitalizing while listening to an episode of the CodeNewbie podcast.
This daily habit protects me against those aches and pains that come from time spent on my laptop (it happens to the best of us) that can lead to serious long-term complications if left unmitigated. It also restores me and alters my mood in a positive way, equipping me with a better mindset to go about my day.
Another activity I find helpful is going to the park or going on long walks. During this global pandemic, it is especially important for me to make time for my body and find open spaces to move around freely.
What exercises or physical activity do you find useful?
3. Creativity
This one is my favorite. When I’m not coding, I love to write songs, play guitar, and sing. I cannot stress enough the importance of finding something that takes me away from my screen. My generation spends so much time in front of screens that finding creative outlets of expression that remove us from screens is so beneficial to our overall health. If you can manage to integrate Habits 2 and 3 (e.g. by picking up dancing or playing soccer), then by all means go for it. I love efficiency!
4. Gratitude
Compassion, empathy, self-reflection. Being able to connect with people inspires gratitude in me. Trusting in the process knowing that I have done enough at the end of a productive or restful day is important. Without this habit, one can quickly become overwhelmed and lose sight of what matters. Left unattended, this can quickly become an infinite loop of negative self-talk. What helps is to recognize that there are so many things outside of my control, but I am the agent of everything inside of my control. This is fundamental to developing a growth mindset.
In Conclusion
As a software engineer, and as a professional in general, it is vital to find habits that propel your work and overall wellbeing. I hope you find these daily habits useful to your journey as a software engineer. Let me know your thoughts below. What habits work for you? What habits will you consider changing to make room for healthier ones?
Ernesto Codes 