My biggest key for this is to work on something you enjoy. Find something that you feel is wrong, or too difficult or too cumbersome and solve it technically.

My biggest key for this is to work on something you enjoy. Find something that you feel is wrong, or too difficult or too cumbersome and solve it technically. For example: Problem: There was too much street light at night to sleep coming through my window, so I bought black out blinds. Then I didn't have enough light to wake up in the morning and always felt sluggish. Solution: I created an arduino sensor to detect morning light (depending on time of year) and then using a motor on the blind cord, it opens my blinds gradually so I have a nice natural wake up. And it's powered by solar. I literally never need an alarm clock again. (All thought I still set one, good developers always have a plan b)