The 8 habits you should avoid when learning how to code.
Are you on the path to becoming a coder? Great, you’ve made an awesome decision!
Learning to code is one of the best investments you can make in your future.
However, if you’ve been trying to learn for a while, but have been struggling to get anywhere, it’s not you - it’s your habits.
Without the right habits and attitude in place, you may find yourself spinning your wheels and making very little progress.
That's why it's so important to stay focused and avoid the bad habits that could hold you back.
In this article, we'll explore some of the common mistakes that can derail your coding journey and look at practical steps you can take to stay on track.
Let’s get to it…
#1 - Multitasking
Multitasking is a great life skill to have, but if you’re learning how to code you’ll need to ditch this habit.
Trying to do multiple things at once can decrease your ability to focus and retain information.
There are so many things to learn that if you try to cover multiple things at once, you’ll find it more difficult to get a deep understanding of any given topic.
Pick one thing to focus on learning, and do only that thing before moving on to the next.
Avoid getting overwhelmed and do one thing.
#2 - Impatience
Coding can be a slow and sometimes frustrating process, but impatience can cause you to give up too quickly.
The road to being a successful developer is a long one, but unfortunately, there are no shortcuts.
Being impatient means that you are not taking the time to enjoy the learning process, and embrace your progress.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and don’t give up - slow and steady wins the race.
#3 - Lack of consistency
Practice, practice, practice. That’s what any successful developer will tell you.
When you show up and code every day, even if it’s only for 15 minutes, it will make a world of difference to your learning journey.
A lack of consistency will slow you down, and hinder your chances of making real progress.
By committing to a regular routine of coding practice, you will develop a habit of working on your skills consistently, which will make it easier to stay motivated and focused.
#4 - Avoiding challenges
It’s easy to do what comes easy.
When learning to code, the easiest concepts will be the ones that you will naturally tackle first, and that’s the right thing to do - in the beginning.
However, if you want to progress past a certain point, you will have to get out of your comfort zone.
Stop refusing to take on challenges and start pushing yourself more.
Struggle and failure is part of the process. But you don’t have to struggle alone, you can always reach out for help if you need to.
This ties into the next bad habit to break…
#5 - Not seeking help when you need it
If you’re self-teaching yourself to code there will be many times when you will face challenging exercises or difficult problems to resolve.
You may feel like you have no one to turn to because you are not in a classroom environment, but don’t get discouraged.
There are plenty of places to seek help as long you are willing to reach out.
Examples of where you can find help:
- Online forums - such as Stackoverflow and Reddit
- Social media - find experienced developers on places like Twitter or LinkedIn
- Open-source project communities
- Finding a mentor
- AI technology - try asking a question to ChatGPT
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
#6 - Relying too much on tutorials
Avoid getting stuck in ‘Tutorial Hell’.
Tutorial Hell is the term given to when you spend more time following or watching endless tutorials and less time actually writing code.
‘But I need tutorials to help me learn’
Yes, that’s correct, of course you need tutorials and other types of learning resources to help you get started, but try to limit the time you spend on them.
Once you’ve learned some basic concepts you should just start building.
Writing code is the best way to learn faster.
If you get stuck, you can always find help online (as explained in the previous point).
Stop relying on tutorials and get building as soon as possible.
#7 - Fearing failure
Every successful developer has experience failure at some point or another.
Failure is inevitable and unavoidable, and if you live in fear of it it’s only going to stop you from truly learning.
Instead of fearing failure, you should fail fast. By failing faster, you can learn from your mistakes and move forward.
Most importantly, remember it’s okay to fail. And when you look back, you will see that your failures were all part of your journey to being the developer that you want to be.
#8 - Not taking enough breaks
This is probably one of the most important bad habits to break.
Learning to code can be as addictive as it is frustrating.
You may be tempted to spend hours on end writing code and trying to solve that pesky bug.
Working hard is a good thing but getting burnt out is very real. You don’t need to sacrifice your health in the process.
Good developers know when to switch off and take a break.
If you can’t solve that problem, step away and go do something else. Whether it’s catching up on sleep, going for a walk or spending time with a loved one.
If you take a break you will be able to come back to your work with fresh eyes and more energy to focus.
There have been many times when I myself have taken a break from trying to fix a difficult bug and then suddenly the answer popped into my head whilst I wasn’t even thinking about it.
Save your brain and take a break.
Learning to code can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it’s important to make sure that you’re doing it in a way that will set you up for success.
By avoiding the bad habits outlined in this article, you will ensure that you are staying on the path to becoming a great coder without getting sidetracked.
Remember - practice, stay consistent, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Break bad habits, and achieve your coding dreams!
From your fellow ever-growing dev,
Cherlock Code
TL;DR
- Multitasking
- Impatience
- Lack of consistency
- Avoiding challenges
- Not seeking help when you need it
- Relying too much on tutorials
- Fearing failure
- Not taking enough breaks
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