Ask HN: What do you do in your free time? Hi I have started my career two years back. I am curious what other programmers do in free time? What are some sites or other things you do in free time. Do you do programming or have GitHub communities? Please advice what should I do in my free time to become a better programmer? |
I must confess, I rarely do anything professionally that I don't want to do anyway. In other words, I don't have to "make" myself do something - I do it 'cause I want to. I'm super curious.
That said, I need to learn Javascript for a side project. I don't find learning a JS very interesting in itself but combine it with something that do find interesting (3D graphics, Three.js) and it becomes fun. Sort of like spending time in France and learning French "accidentally".
> write
> read fiction occasionally
> read non-fiction various topics - including HN and Reddit
> help with cooking
> transport kids
> help with homework
> visit elderly parents and help them out a bit
> read a book with my wife - rather she reads aloud to me
> participate in community of faith
> hang out with my family
> watch a bit of TV as I drift off to sleep
Otherwise, I spend a lot of time reading, both techie / business related stuff, other non-fiction, and fiction. I read a lot of science / history stuff that isn't strictly tech (for example, I like reading about cosmology and particle physics, and WWI / WWII history).
I'll go to the occasional concert, mostly heavy metal / hard rock stuff of various sorts.
And then I'll throw on Netflix or Amazon Prime here and there and watch a movie or something now and then.
Having that said, I make things (clippad stand, marker tray for whiteboard, detachable box for pencils and ballpens, things like that) out of corrugated cardboard and I'm trying to learn some woodworking. I also read a lot, and I enjoy role-playing games these rare times I have a group and game master.
Other than that, various outdoors activities. Skiing (xc, alpine, bit of touring), bicycling (incl some bike touring), general exploring.
Cycle and Swim, Read fiction, Watch documentaries and stay away from screens.
Play with cool technologies, read programming stuff and work on side projects.
I aim for a minimum of 30 minutes exercise every day either swimming, cycling or recently pilates and at least an hour and half away from a screen (not counting a kobo as a screen) usually before bed.
I burnt out badly a while back and I'm determined not to go down that route again, at first I had to force myself away from the computer but now I relish the time.
I would like to use my prior experience as a pilot/flight instructor and mix it with my programming/database skills via drones somehow. The combo of machine learning, (fixed wing?) drones, and infosec have captured my attention.
CTFs are new for me and I'm enjoying stockfighter.io quite a bit.
Continuing my CS self-education in areas because they sound interesting.
1. Learning (e.g. studying programming, history, people)
2. Competing (e.g. FPS/RTS games, martial arts, archery).
Pick something that you haven't done. Try it!