Energy Management for Developers 101

Turns out that burnout is real. Who would have thought…

All joking aside, it’s easy for people to see developers sit in front of screens all day and claim that it’s ridiculous for us to get tired.

I generally tell those people that getting tired from coding is the same type of tired you get when you study something for 3–4 hours in a super focused way. You come out of a strong coding session with your head feeling a little fuzzy. And it doesn’t seem like this feeling is particular to me either.

But if you’ve been a dev for a while, you probably have tactics and tricks for better managing your energy.

Today I’m going to share some observations that have helped me better manage my (mental) energy as a developer.

1. Realise that coding is a mental game and that output will come in bursts and might not be constant or steady.

As Naval Ravikant says: “Forty hour workweeks are a relic of the Industrial Age. Knowledge workers function like athletes — train and sprint, then rest and reassess.”

2. Treat coding like a long marathon and not a sprint.

Try bunch smaller tasks together and leave more time for bigger tasks. Mainly so that you don’t context switch in the middle of a bigger coding task.

3. Physical exercise will help you get rid of the fuzzy brain feeling.

This is why I generally lift weight in the evening after work. It helps me clear my mind.

Ironically we work in sprints, but try to see the forest for the trees too. Take care of your mental energy otherwise you will burn out.

Do you have any other tips on how to optimise your mental energy? Let me know!

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