So I would not put side projects and leetcode grinding in the same vain. It's like saying how do you find time for your favorite sport and having to do exercis

So I would not put side projects and leetcode grinding in the same vain. It's like saying how do you find time for your favorite sport and having to do exercises that you have to whether you like it or not because your health depends on it. Yes you could enjoy leet code. In either case if you enjoy it and you are doing it for an intrinsic desire you will find time. By the way doing so may not make you more employable or even a better coder and it should never be an expectation by employers. Now you kinda answered part of your question. Looks like your day job is very rewarding that when you are tired you are "good" tired and you need a recharge so you can go back to that goodness the next day. For me my spike in side projects came when my job sucked. The more it sucked (regardless of how tired it made me) the more I'd come home fuelled. Again ymmv! Same with boring exercises, I mean leetcode. Frankly I have not seen a good reason for lc unless to crack that faang job (I'd just pay for premium and go through company Xs problems a month before the interviews). Sad but true.