Take Charge of Your Time: A Guide for Software Engineers
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Chapter 1: Empowering Yourself with Time Management
In the fast-paced world of software engineering, many professionals often express feelings of overwhelm and burnout. Phrases like “I don’t have enough time” and “I’m swamped” are heard frequently.
TAKE BACK YOUR TIME
The expectations placed on engineers today are higher than ever. With nearly 25 years of experience in the field, I’ve observed an unprecedented workload that seems to continuously increase. The quicker we work, the more we are expected to produce.
It's crucial that we reclaim our time and recognize the power we hold over how we allocate it. Many software engineers, including myself when I first entered the industry, do not fully appreciate this authority. Without our contributions, projects stall; it's not the other way around.
We have a limited number of hours each day. Unless your employment contract specifies overtime for which you're compensated, working after hours should be avoided. Exceptions can be made when you're genuinely passionate about the work at hand.
It’s essential that we stop giving away our time for free. When the workday concludes, it should mark the end of our professional responsibilities until the next day. If deadlines are missed, it may be due to unreasonable expectations or inaccurate estimations on our part.
When you consistently work beyond regular hours without compensation, you risk setting a precedent for yourself, creating a cycle of overproduction and extended working hours.
To regain control of our time, let's consider some actionable strategies.
Mastering Time Estimates
How long will a task truly take? This is one of the most challenging yet vital questions we face as engineers. It’s easy to fall into the trap of underestimating time requirements. Perhaps you overrate your capabilities or overlook the complexities involved in a task.
When assigned a new task, take a moment to reflect on several questions:
- Have I handled similar tasks before?
- Is the process straightforward?
- What challenges might arise, and how much time will I need to address them?
- Does this depend on other teams?
Based on your answers, formulate a realistic estimate and then add an additional 20%. Whether you’re estimating time, story points, or using sizing techniques, ensure your estimations are thorough.
Advocating for Realistic Deadlines
It’s imperative that deadlines originate from well-considered estimates provided by the engineering team, not dictated by the product team. If arbitrary deadlines are imposed, it suggests either a lack of understanding of the effort involved or indifference to the workload and hours required.
If you find yourself in this situation, discuss it with your engineering manager.
Reducing Meeting Overload
Meetings—do they enhance productivity? Most of us would agree that we prefer to minimize them so we can focus on our work. While some meetings are necessary for collaboration and clarity, many, such as frequent check-ins and town halls, may clutter our schedules.
To manage this, consider the following strategies:
- Attend only those meetings that are essential or relevant to your interests.
- Try to consolidate meetings to save time for deep work.
- Dedicate specific blocks of time each day for uninterrupted coding sessions and protect that time fiercely.
Just ask your manager if you can skip non-essential meetings to focus on your work. If you allow others to control your calendar, they will.
The Power of Saying No
Side projects often creep in and can lead to more work than anticipated. I encourage my team to say no when necessary. If you’re interested in a task and have time, that’s great! However, if it distracts from your commitments or results in unpaid overtime, it's perfectly fine to decline.
In a remote work setting, mute unnecessary notifications and prioritize your focus. A simple “no” is often sufficient without needing extensive explanations.
Conclusion: Value Your Time
Ultimately, your skills as a software engineer are highly sought after, and this demand is unlikely to diminish. Spending your personal time on unpaid work won't benefit you in the long run. Instead, invest that time in personal pursuits, family, nature, or hobbies—these experiences are far more rewarding.
If you choose to take on extra work, ensure it comes with appropriate compensation. Your time is invaluable.
Happy coding!
Want More Insights?
Stay tuned for more tips on clean coding, enhancing developer productivity, and how to excel as a software engineer!
In the video titled "My Honest Advice to Aspiring Software Engineers," you’ll find valuable insights that can help shape your approach to managing time and expectations in the industry.
The second video, "The SECRETS to becoming a GREAT software engineer," delves into strategies for mastering your craft while balancing productivity and personal time.