10 Tips For Developers To Stay Healthy And Survive While Writing Code
Programmer is a profitable, modern, and exciting profession, but also quite dangerous. You don’t have to risk your life as a fireman or policeman, but several years of uninterrupted coding significantly undermine your health. And sometimes even the psyche.
I know many developers, and almost all of them treat themselves like immortal robots — they are willing to sit at their computers 24 hours a day, fix bugs at night, and even write code while sleeping. And then they spend a lot of money on treatment and suffer from depression or insomnia. That’s why it’s very important to keep a work-life balance and take care of your health. Here are some simple and slightly humorous tips to help my developer friends keep their health and work happily.
Cut out sugar and caffeine
Not many people know it, but sugar is the most powerful drug in the world. Near 75% percent of the world’s population have a sugar addiction! According to medics, uncontrolled consumption of sugar has caused a global public health crisis. Sugar makes you fat, sick, and sugar makes you want more sugar. The same goes for caffeine. And if you drink coffee with sugar, you are a double blow to your health! Want to sleep while debugging code at 3 pm? Give up sugar!
Eat regular and varied meals
Every other developer eats at their desk and doesn’t keep track of their menu. Fast food from McDonald’s or KFC is a favorite food during coding because it allows you not to distract from work and quickly satiates you. But it’s also much more harmful — overweight, gastritis, and skin problems. Focus on low-glycemic foods like vegetables, fresh meat, nuts, eggs and avoid white bread, pasta, and sugary snacks.
Try to cook your own food at least once a week or go to places that show you what they put in your food, and avoid fast food. Try new foods, you don’t have to eat the same thing every day. Also, don’t rush when you eat — hunger is satisfied 20 minutes after eating. So don’t pounce on food like a wolf, even if you are very hungry. Eat slowly and enjoy the process.
Drink more liquids
Yes, yes, you’ve heard all this from your mother and you’re sick of this advice. But they do work. In addition to being awake if you drink water every 20 minutes, you’ll go to the bathroom more often. And that, too, is good for a sedentary lifestyle. Oh yeah, I totally forgot — liquid doesn’t mean soda!
Get enough sleep
Another important tip from your mom: Try to sleep at least 8 hours a night. But this does not mean that you can go to bed at 4 a.m. and wake up at noon. Sleep at night when it’s dark outside the window. Put your phone aside one hour before bedtime. Your body, like your phone, needs constant recharging. A full night’s sleep is it.
No laptop on your belly
Working while lying down with a laptop on your stomach, and drinking a cocktail is all a fairy tale for office workers who dream of becoming freelancers. Anyone who has ever tried to work that way knows that it’s impossible. But we do it anyway when we work from home. Because of this, it reduces efficiency and ruins our eyesight and our health in general. You have to sleep on the couch or rest on your lunch break. Well, you can do something else. But there is no place for a laptop.
Sit upright
I know you’ve missed your mom’s advice, so here’s one for you: watch your posture. Get yourself a comfortable chair that follows the contour of your back and adjust it so that you sit upright. The first time it will not be very comfortable, but then you’ll get used to it, and your back will thank you.
Take breaks and exercise
There is one great recommendation on how to allocate your time productively and get the most benefit: work uninterruptedly every 45 minutes and then rest for 15 minutes. If you follow this simple rule, you will:
- Have time to do all your scheduled tasks
- Rest and strengthen your body.
During the 15 minutes, try not only to take a smoke break or lie flat but also to do light exercise: a few push-ups or jumping rope will return your tone and will not let your muscles get tired during the day from sitting.
Always plan your tasks
There is nothing worse than chaos and uncertainty. And this applies to any activity, not just development. Use planning and management tools in your work. If you know what you have to do only today — most likely you will cope with all the tasks and be able to fully perform point 4. Of course, there are urgent tasks — developers have nothing without them. But they should not be a priority and turn your work into chaos.
Work fewer hours
It may seem illogical, but working fewer hours per week can improve your productivity. Having less time makes you focus on the tasks you have to finish and makes you dedicate your entire attention to those specific tasks instead of wasting time on distractions. This leads us to the second point.
Don’t work weekends
Even if you work from home — never bring work home. Your colleagues should clearly know that you are available only during working hours — all urgent tasks will be done tomorrow. If you are on call 24/7 you will burn out very quickly. Don’t take extra part-time work, even if you really need the money. Your body should rest, and so should your brain.
Lack of free time will sooner or later affect not only your work but other aspects of life as well. Use your days off to spend time with friends and family, take up a new hobby, read a book that has been on the shelf for a long time, or go on a camping trip. You’ll be sure to notice that Monday morning you feel refreshed, full of energy, and ready for new accomplishments!
