Burnout is a common problem for many programmers. It can make you lose interest and motivation in coding, and affect your well-being. I know this because I experienced it myself. After learning to code for a year, I became obsessed with it and neglected other aspects of my life. This led me to a burnout that made me stop coding for two years. But recently, I decided to give coding another chance and rediscover the joy of creating with code. In this article, I will share some tips and insights that helped me on this journey of relearning and rekindling. I hope they can help you too :)
1. Address the reasons why you want to come back to coding
One of the key factors for overcoming burnout and enjoying coding again is to have a clear and personal reason for doing it. If you are coding for external reasons, such as pleasing others or getting a job, you might not feel satisfied or fulfilled by it. This could lead to frustration and resentment, and eventually another burnout. That's why you need to code for yourself, and for your own goals and interests. For me, I decided to code again because I had some free time that I wanted to use for a hobby. I remembered how much I loved coding before, and how useful and fun it can be. So I gave it another shot, and I'm glad I did. In short, code for yourself, and for what you want to achieve. This will keep you motivated and interested in coding.
2. Make a plan
Relearning to code can be a daunting task, especially if you feel like you have to catch up with everything you knew before. That's why you need to have a plan. A plan can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and scattered, and instead focus on one thing at a time. A plan can also help you build a strong foundation and a healthy relationship with coding. For me, I started by relearning Python, the first programming language I learned. I chose Python because it is easy to learn and fun to use. I didn't want to jump into Rust, which was my main programming language, because I thought it would be too challenging and frustrating. Before you start coding again, make a list of the languages/concepts/frameworks you want to relearn, and the resources you want to use. This will help you stay on track, and also give you a sense of accomplishment as you complete each task.
3. Make it fun for yourself
In my journey of returning to coding, I have been learning by doing. I started off super basic, wanting to make a command-line contact book in Python. I outlined the different things that I would need to do in order to complete this project, and just went into it, attempting to rekindle my knowledge along the way. If you don't know how to do something, AI and documentation is your friend! This made the process of relearning the nitty-gritty of Python more fun and enjoyable for me. Joining communities is another amazing way to make the experience fun. There is a great community here on DEV, and writing blog posts, about your experiences for example, will help you 1) stay accountable to your relearning process, but also 2) engage with the community by asking for questions or just sharing how you have been recovering from burn out. Find a supportive community that will lift you up, and be there if you have any questions or concerns.
4. Take breaks
In order to ensure that you don't get burned out again, you need to take breaks. Maintaining a healthy relationship with code relies on the fact that you have other things to turn too when you get stumped or just need a break. For me, I enjoy physical exercise/sports and spending time with family and friends. These activities take my mind off coding, and allow me to take a break. Finding what works for you is crucial to maintaining that healthy relationship. Here are some ideas of activities you can do to get your mind off coding: physical exercise, spending time with friends/family, meditation, reading, art, music, etc.
5. Check in once in a while, to see if your relationship with code is healthy
For me, this is the most important point to ensure that your relationship with code stays healthy. You need to check in once in a while, to see if your life is balanced and your relationship with code is healthy. Whether this be scheduled breaks or just reflecting on your mental health, taking some time to think about how you can prevent burnout and just enjoy coding is crucial. Two years ago, when I was doing an immense amount of coding, everything seemed perfect, as I flew from language to language, framework to framework. It is not until I was suddenly hit by burnout that I realized that this obsessive learning was unhealthy for me. If I took a pause ever so often in my learning journey, it would've allowed me to prevent burnout and have a healthy relationship with coding.
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