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Get more sleep, eat better, and work fewer hours. I wrote a more object-level detailed answer about tools and getting better at common tasks, but those are jus

Get more sleep, eat better, and work fewer hours. I wrote a more object-level detailed answer about tools and getting better at common tasks, but those are just side issues. If you're tired, you will fuck things up. Fucking things up is much slower than doing it right the first time. Similar reasoning for eating well. I'd also recommend intermittent fasting - the kind of biological effects that digesting food causes aren't good for thinking well. Plus, breaking for lunch in an interruption, and not eating lunch is a good way to side-step that. Working fewer hours is the easiest way to get faster. Pretty much everyone gets slower at programming later in the day. If you simply don't try to force yourself through your least productive hours, you're going to be faster on average.

n8m 12y ago
I completely agree with that! I know so many people coding ridiculous hours, and all they do is causing more problems the next day. Less hours = Better focus Plan your food and sleep. Probably exercise. Get a fitbit (or similar) and find your sweet spot (sleep tracking is awesome with those things). When you feel good- you're most effective. If you're having deadlines, take long breaks and go back to work after you've done something different (essentially shift working but within reasonable hours). Don't "overdose" yourself with energy drinks, or too much coffee/tea. I have found that some energy drinks do affect my ability to focus negative. Same with coffee- too much is limiting (my) ability to focus. All those things helped me. It can be different for you, but it's probably a start.
coldnebo 12y ago
Morning people tend to get slower later in the day. Night people actually tend to get faster. (There is some research that backs this up: http://www.personal.psu.edu/afr3/blogs/siowfa12/2012/09/early-birds-and-night-owls.html http://www.personal.psu.edu/afr3/blogs/siowfa12/2012/09/earl...) Know yourself and work during your peak time, not someone else's.

n8m 12y ago

I completely agree with that! I know so many people coding ridiculous hours, and all they do is causing more problems the next day. Less hours = Better focus Plan your food and sleep. Probably exercise. Get a fitbit (or similar) and find your sweet spot (sleep tracking is awesome with those things). When you feel good- you're most effective. If you're having deadlines, take long breaks and go back to work after you've done something different (essentially shift working but within reasonable hours). Don't "overdose" yourself with energy drinks, or too much coffee/tea. I have found that some energy drinks do affect my ability to focus negative. Same with coffee- too much is limiting (my) ability to focus. All those things helped me. It can be different for you, but it's probably a start.

coldnebo 12y ago

Morning people tend to get slower later in the day. Night people actually tend to get faster. (There is some research that backs this up: http://www.personal.psu.edu/afr3/blogs/siowfa12/2012/09/early-birds-and-night-owls.html http://www.personal.psu.edu/afr3/blogs/siowfa12/2012/09/earl...) Know yourself and work during your peak time, not someone else's.