“Every adventure requires a first step.” This quote is often thrown around when someone starts talking about trying something new, and in many ways it is accurate. But what that first step is can vary. Generally, it's encouraged to take one small step at a time, but sometimes it is better to jump in feet first and see where you land. After completing my first week with my host company, I feel I fall into the latter category. Most of my week consisted of training videos and meetings, which I expected. However, that doesn’t change the fact that it's like - as mentioned multiple times - “drinking from a firehose.”
To combat that overwhelming influx of information, I try to adopt a couple of habits at the beginning. My main one is taking notes, and writing down the answers to all the questions I have. In doing so, I slowly started building my own personal documentation system to refer back to so I don’t have to ask the same question twice. In time, it also provides me a time capsule that I can look back on to see how far I have come, or as a way to remind myself what it is like when I (hopefully) have an opportunity to mentor the next generation of developers.
Another habit I'm trying to establish is to schedule a short break at some point to take care of myself. Sometimes it may be a 5-minute stretch, other times it may be taking a 15-minute walk. But having that separation from my screen and keyboard helps ground me in what I am learning and stops me from “powering through.” Some would argue that powering through is a good thing, but I have found that it leads to me glazing over the information and not absorbing it, which is a waste of time.
That break also is useful for giving myself time to self-reflect on how I’m feeling. If I’m anxious, I can take time to breathe and think about why. When I’m excited, it gives me the opportunity to enjoy the high and the feeling of accomplishment. Granted, I don’t always succeed in acknowledging my status, but having that break has given me more time to reflect on it.
So yes, the firehose is spraying gallons of water on me right now, but I know in time that valve will be reduced to be more of a garden hose. Until then, I can work on improving my habits to catch as much information as I can while ensuring I don’t get swept away in the flood.
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