Developer Productivity Tips
If you’ve ever procrastinated while being pressured to deliver high-quality code at the same time, this post is for you.?
We all experience bad days, so it’s completely normal to feel demotivated and unproductive from time to time. Expecting the exact same level of productivity throughout the month would be irrational due to the many internal and external factors that influence it, such as your work environment, organizational processes, health and wellbeing, etc. Unfortunately, some of these factors are beyond one person’s control, but others can be affected by making a few behavioral changes.??
Here are some tips on how to increase work productivity as a software developer:
Create a schedule
Most companies nowadays try to implement a flexible working schedule, where employees get to choose their time of availability more freely. As good as it sounds at first, many of them struggle with time management and quickly become overwhelmed, causing a decrease in productivity.?
To avoid acting like a headless chicken and drowning yourself in tasks by the end of the month, try to create a consistent work schedule. Start by determining which hours make you feel the most energized and productive, set daily tasks, and let your colleagues know at what time you’ll be available. You can also use a free online time tracker to keep track of your working time and know exactly how much time you spend on each task. Creating a routine will provide a sense of structure and help maintain productivity over time.?
“I’ve come to a point where I know how much time I need to complete a certain task, so it’s easier to manage my schedule. I don’t always work at the same pace or at the same time, but I always keep track of deadlines and make sure the work gets delivered on time.” - Jakov, Full-stack Developer
Minimize distractions
One of the main advantages of caneloper is that you are able to work from home. However, this can be a double-edged sword. At home, you could be more prone to distractions like running errands, taking care of pets and children, or just dozing off on social media. Once you lose your flow, it takes about 10-15 min to recover from the distraction and resume working where you left off.?
Since programming requires concentration, keep the distractions at a minimum by letting your household members know that you are working, turning off your social media notifications, and focusing on one task at a time. If you haven’t, try the Pomodoro technique - a time management technique where you divide your workday into 25 min chunks with 5 min breaks. Doing so creates a sense of urgency and helps you manage your working time without distractions.?
“I use the Pomodoro technique because it reminds me to take regular breaks, which helps to improve my focus.” - Nikola, Backend Developer
Use the right tools
Knowing your programming tools and development environment is crucial for good performance. To improve productivity, learn all the code editor shortcuts and use them in your work - it will save you both time and effort in the long run. Take your time to explore different tools, frameworks, and libraries to choose the best option based on your project requirements.
Apart from code management tools like GitHub, there are also many online tools available for team collaboration, project management, time-tracking, etc. Here are some of the most popular ones:
“I try to reduce my presence on social media with LeechBlock. It’s a simple distraction canceling software designed to block various sites by putting a time limit on their use, so I never get to scroll for more than 5-10min at a time.” - Mislav, Full-stack Developer
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Automate what you can
Take full advantage of automation tools like Selenium or Jest to automate time-consuming, repetitive tasks. Automation can help improve not only your productivity but your software quality as well. It eliminates the possibility of human error, significantly decreases the number of bugs, and enables faster deployment. Not to mention it lets you spend more time on actual coding.?
Using automation, you can simplify the coding process and focus your energy on more important things (whatever they may be).
Work less…to work better
Spending some time away from work is just as important for work performance as doing your job. That’s why you have PTO. Taking a quality break could do more to improve your productivity than staring at a blank screen all day. It’s important to step back and re-charge every once in a while. Doing so will help you collect your thoughts, gather fresh ideas, and maybe see things from another perspective.?
“Taking short breaks during the workday is just as important as scheduling and prioritizing. After taking my dog out for a walk, I feel much more focused and refreshed, ready to seize the day.” - Tomica, QA Analyst
Take care of your health?
Taking care of your physical and mental health is notonly crucial for productivity, but also your well-being. We all know the importance of a quality diet, exercise, and getting enough sleep - this goes without saying. However, it’s also good to have hobbies and a social circle outside of work to maintain a proper work-life balance. Don’t forget - you are more than your job.
You can contribute to your health by going to your annual check-ups, taking frequent breaks, meditating, socializing, daily physical activity, etc. For keeping track of your daily habits, health, and productivity levels, practice journaling. It’s a great way to acquire data over time and determine which habits drain your energy and which ones make you feel more productive.?
Conclusion
Measuring developer productivity is more complex than just counting the number of LOC. Programming isn’t like working on an assembly line - you can’t expect to produce the same amount of code every day. The primary thing to consider when evaluating developer productivity is code quality, as well as the amount of time, effort, and resources that went into writing it. Except in cases of urgency, quality should always be more important than quantity.?
We hope this article will help you organize and boost your productivity without feeling drained in the process. If you’re starting to show signs of prolonged stress, check out our article on Developer burnout and find out what you can do to prevent it before it happens.?
In the meantime, be sure to follow Digihey for more tips and IT-related content!?
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Written by: Helena Grahovac