For the longest time, I kinda felt like a fraud.
I'd browse LinkedIn, Threads, Instagram, X, Dev.to and all sorts and see posts like "I built a full-stack AI app in a weekend!" I'd listen to colleagues talk about their elaborate side projects. The unspoken message was clear: a real developer codes for fun. A real developer is always learning the next thing, always building.
And I... wasn't.
After eight hours of solving problems, writing code, and staring at a screen, the last thing I wanted to do was more of the same. I'd force myself sometimes, opening my laptop with a sense of dread, only to produce low-quality code and feel even worse.
I thought this meant I wasn't "passionate" enough. I thought I was falling behind.
Then, I hit a wall. I was stuck on a gnarly backend problem for days. The solution was nowhere to be found. Out of pure frustration, I walked away and decided to finally assemble an IKEA bookshelf that had been sitting in its box for a month.
As I was sorting through the screws and following the famously inscrutable instructions, something clicked in my brain. Not the furniture—my brain. A completely different approach to the backend problem suddenly appeared, clear as day. I hadn't been thinking about it at all, but my subconscious had been working on it the whole time.
That was my "aha" moment.
The Myth of the 24/7 Coder
The idea that you must live and breathe code to be a great developer is one of the most pervasive and quietly damaging myths in our industry.
It mixes love for the art with fixation on the instrument.
You can be deeply passionate about building elegant systems, solving user problems, and creating robust software—the craft of engineering—without wanting to code every waking hour.
In fact, stepping away is often what makes you better at your job.
Why Your Brain Needs an Off-Switch
1. Prevents Burnout
Your brain is a muscle. You wouldn't go to the gym and lift weights for 12 hours straight. Constant coding without a mental break leads to fatigue, cynicism, and worse code.
2. Fuels Creativity
The most effective answers frequently emerge when you least expect them—during a shower, while walking, or when your hands are engaged in another task. A new environment allows your mind to create fresh connections.
3. Makes You a Better Problem-Solver
My IKEA moment wasn't a fluke. Hobbies like woodworking, cooking, or even playing a sport teach you about process, patience, and physics in a way that directly translates to debugging and system design. You learn to think in different modalities.
Redefining "Passion"
Passion isn't determined by the total hours you put in. It pertains to the calibre of your focus while you are engaged in work.
It's about the satisfaction you feel when creating a tidy, understandable function.
It's the desire to comprehend the reason behind a bug occurring, rather than merely acknowledging its existence.
It's about the delight of working well together with your team to deliver something outstanding.
That type of enthusiasm flourishes when you are well-rested, balanced, and have a life that energises you—not when you are depleted from a late-night coding spree.
If you’ve ever felt bad for not having an impressive GitHub graph or for choosing to watch a film instead of a programming tutorial, I want to assure you: it’s perfectly fine.
Your value as a developer isn't measured by your side projects. It's measured by the focus, creativity, and sanity you bring to your actual job.
Protecting your personal time isn't a lack of ambition. It's a long-term strategy for a sustainable and enjoyable career.
Let's break the stigma. What's one thing you love to do that has absolutely nothing to do with a computer? I'll start: I've gotten really into playing volleyball. The sheer physicality, the instant team communication, and the focus on a single moving object are the perfect antidote to a day of abstract problems and a static screen.
Top comments (36)
Nobody is a 24/7 developer. IT managers want you to be, but that is their problem.
Even the people that seem to be programming all of the time take breaks.
I think as a developer you shouldn't always need to write code, or generate it nowadays.
I do think you should try to learn a new thing everyday. Don't fuss if you miss days, just take it one day at a time.
All this is so true. However, how many times have smart, capable developers been cut as a candidate because they don't have a solid blue Github heatmap...
You've nailed the real-world consequence of this mindset. It's a frustrating filter that often misses excellent, balanced engineers. The more we talk about it, the more we can change that standard
Thank you for your thoughtful reply Tombri! I know that should I ever be in a hiring manager's position, I will not strike this against anyone seeking to work with myself and my team. Cheers!
Yeah, I agreed. Brain needs constant rest to wire itself and absorb the info.
Exactly! The brain needs that idle time to process everything. Constant input just leads to overload.
Couldn't agree more. The pressure should never be on us to be coding machines 24/7. Love the 'one day at a time' approach – takes all the guilt away. 🙌
Up until very recently, I hadn't pushed a single commit to my personal GitHub in more than 10 years! There was just no reason to.
Honestly, I probably wouldn't be now if it weren't for this likely-less-than-healthy AI hobby I picked up. 🤣 But it will run its course and a new hobby will take its place—it's not about the code. It's just another addition to a long list of ongoing entertainment portals.
So, whatever it is for you, just take the time and enjoy it—there's rarely enough to risk wasting it on anything that's going to make you miserable!
Haha 'less-than-healthy AI hobby' – I feel that! It's cool that it's just another form of entertainment for you and not an obligation. That's the perfect mindset! 🤖
Thanks for this article.
This thoughts were been in my mind for months. I agree with you, code 8 hours a day, even 6 or 4 are enough to improve our developer skills. The problems come when you don't touch a single line of code for weeks or months.
In the evening i enjoy play video games, go to the gym, spend some times with my wife, you know, live the life.
I don't have any side projects, but I can tell you that I have a relaxed mind
and I'm in good health.
This is the goal right here: a relaxed mind and good health. So glad you've found that balance. Thanks for sharing!
This is a much-needed perspective. The "IKEA moment" is a perfect example of the brain's "diffuse mode" at work. You can't access it when you're in "focused mode" (i.e., staring at the code).
I like sports and football, after my 9-5 jobs, i always play video games .. you know I have friends/colleagues who have many programming side jobs but that sacrifice their free time, I always think they are better than me. But for me I need to take a break after long hours coding.
The comparison game is a boss level we all struggle with. 🎮 Your way = sustainable power-ups. Keep winning!
Good reminder that everybody needs breaks. Full ack!
Thanks, Adam! I'm glad it resonated.
You just read my thoughts! I’m grateful to my current organisation for providing me with an ideal Life-Work balance (yes, not work-life balance), allowing me to spend equally productive time both during and after work. I enjoy DIY projects and dedicate a good amount of time to them, and another passion of mine is investing in the stock market and watching my money grow (passive income is must for everyone).
I have never made any commits to GitHub, nor do I have a personal portfolio website, nor have I written any blogs, nor posted any completed course certificates on LinkedIn :) etc., yet I have still managed to sustain a 25-year career in the IT industry.
25 years without the side-project grind? That's incredibly inspiring and proof that a successful career is built on sustainable habits, not burnout. Thank you for sharing this! 🎉
Yup! no side project or moon lighting. Just Me, Myself, My Family and Work!
Well, what I do is that I just grab my guitar, plug in, make the high sound, just shred. This is how I get rid of my computer. It is all about how you can manage your time indeed. I mean we all need as developers find sometime to spend for ourselves. Could be hanging friends, going somewhere, or whatever it is. So, at the end nobody is 24/7 developer. I think this could solve the problem at the end. In addition to that, if you are a continuous learner, I believe you are not left behind anything. :D
Completely agree - shredding on guitar is such a perfect way to disconnect! That intense focus on the strings and rhythm just transports you to a different headspace. I play drums and piano myself, and there's something about music that forces your brain into that 'flow state' where coding worries and burnout completely fade away. Maybe I should finally add guitar to the mix too! 🎸
Yes, that is definitely for sure. I mean music is something that everybody needs and I have experimented that there is a great correlation between music and the brain. This really creates a great flow state. You know you just get lost with every aspect of music. I mean I do not know how to describe this. :D. So, just keep continuing whatever you are playing 🎸
I love this. Thank you for your contribution.
May primary hobby is dancing. Its the focus on movement, together with music that completely takes my out of this mind-only focused headspace that I go into while coding. Whatever happens at work is gone after dance class and I can go to bed with a clear mind and wake up the next with a new perspective .
Aaaaaand of course I am sitting way to much in this profession which is bad for my health. Movement helps with that as well
Dancing is a perfect counterbalance! I love that it gets you out of your head and into your body. I've also gotten into dancing recently, though I should probably add a disclaimer that I'm not good at it... my rhythm is questionable at best 😂. So glad you found your reset!
Excellent post, Ty. I started as coding is my identity and life but after few years I got saturated. I could not bare the screens, I thought that it is over for me in IT. Started CrossFit, bought a Motorcycle, now I am back and work in IT when the thing that I am working on matter.
CrossFit and a motorcycle?! Okay, that's the most badass reset button I've heard 😎. Seriously though, that's awesome - sometimes you need to step away completely to remember why you got into tech in the first place. The fact that you came back on your own terms is everything! 🏍️💪