Most developers fight with the urge to be productive from time to time. It’s easy to understand why: developing can be a mentally and emotionally exhausting task. Not only does developing require constant mental acuity, but the job position of a developer also often requires a substantial number of social skills. In order to be consistently productive, developers are going to need to be mindful of their own stress levels and will need to react accordingly. Here are a few tips for being a more productive developer.
Break Your Tasks Down Into Chunks
Chunking your work is a good way to approach larger projects. Many times a procrastinator will avoid a larger project simply because they don’t feel like investing the time immediately. By breaking a large project into smaller projects, you get a sequence of much smaller tasks that seem easier to fulfill.
Always Try to Manage Your Time
It is time that is your enemy when it comes to development… but programmers can work very long hours. Many developers find themselves working all of their waking hours, which can also mean that it’s more difficult to be productive; you spend the entirety of the day burnt out. Carefully manage your time so that you know exactly when you are working and when you should be resting and recuperating for the next development session.
Work as a Team
Other team members are likely to be experiencing very similar issues with procrastination and productivity. To truly be more productive, it’s good for a developer to reach out to their team, discuss any known issues, and both self-motivate and motivate the team itself. By motivating the team, a developer may find themselves more eager to finish a project.
Try Multiple Types of Productivity Trick
Though everyone is eager to draw up new habits, it can actually be beneficial to start rotating different types of productivity trick. Otherwise your brain can get used to certain prompts and triggers; if that happens, your productivity tricks aren’t likely to be as effective. Trying different tricks from time to time is an excellent way to shake up your thought process and re-motivate yourself.
Be Clear and Transparent
If there are issues that are currently getting in the way of you completing your work, it’s always best for you to be clear and transparent with your management. Problems can persist if individuals see the problems there but don’t directly address them.
Spend More of Your Time Planning
A solid plan is worth much more than simply just diving in and getting started. Many developers find themselves caught in a cycle of trying to redo and remodel the work that they’ve already put in. If you plan ahead, you’ll be able to sidestep many issues that would be immediately obvious once actually working on the project.
A productive developer gets jobs done faster and closer to specifications. This is exactly what employers want. If you’re interested in pursuing a career path as a developer (or if you’re a developer looking for a new position), check out the listings at Software Specialists today.
