Will you actually finish it?

Bryce Blilie — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 16:37:14 +0000

When considering whether or not you should take on all the work and dedication to start and finish a personal project that you'll show off to the world and be proud of, imagine yourself doing it when you absolutely don't want to.

I mean the days and weekends when you're bored with it and would rather be doing other things, imagine yourself still working on it - fixing it, refactoring it, testing it and tweaking it. Those times when you want to work on new and exciting ideas you just had instead, but still need to finish what you had already started.

Imagine digging tunnels with a junky shovel or banging day after day after day on a rock wall with a dull light weight hammer. Imagine having to think and think about your project day after day, only to have it fall apart, waiting for you to try again. Will you do it?

If you can truly see yourself working on this project during those bleakest of times, you may actually have a chance at really finishing it. Not just getting it to the point of "well it's good enough" because you're bored of it, but a finished project that someone else who's an expert in your field would say "wow that looks great, and I can tell you worked hard on it!"

It's 100% okay to say no at the beginning. To imagine that you won't want to work on it during the lean times. It's better to know that at the start than in the middle when you've already spent so much time on it.

Be completely honest with yourself and don't feel like you have to do something because "all the cool kids are doing it" It's likely most of them are in fact NOT doing it, but merely starting then trailing off.

Remember that nothing worth doing is easy. Remember how you feel when viewing someone else's personal project and thinking about all the time and effort they put into it. You're not alone if you do the same. It's just how it gets done.

This is the same for everyone, the smarter and faster people had to work hard to get there. People seem to think that there's this natural ability the gifted have to accomplish so much in so little time, but you never hear about the days and weeks of practice and self-paced learning that had to come before it.

Do a few of these and they will get easier and easier to finish - really finish.

WFH tips & tricks

Bryce Blilie — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 23:26:35 +0000

From 2009 to 2013 I worked from home for a software company based in Newfoundland Canada. Some 1300 miles away, a days worth of flights, and 2 and 1/2 (yes 1/2) hours of timezone difference. I was also the only one working remote as all of my other colleagues were in the office.

We tried a few different setups, including leaving a camera on in a cubicle that was in a constant skype call with my camera essentially making it like you could just sit down in front of me at a desk. It turned out to be a little creepy though, because I couldn't always see the people who could see me.

But the hardest part was dialing into a conference room and having to try and listen to the main conversation while every cough, bump and table tap would overpower the speakerphone mic.

The best conferences were when all the participants were online, AND had their cameras on. It was awkward at first, but became natural after a few days time.

Email and instant messaging was my lifeline. The phone was fine but was usually just with one person and felt more formal than a hallway conversation.

It was important that we all got to have some in person time once and awhile as well. We'd have company parties and all get drunk and it of course served to bond us and create lasting memories.

DEV Community: Bryce Blilie

Will you actually finish it?

WFH tips & tricks