I wish you the best on your new career change! Similar to you, I am 36 with two kids in elementary, working full time, and trying to learn on my own. I'm also considering a bootcamp for those same reasons of networking and working through it with peers.
In terms of courses: I like both Colt Steele and Angela Yu's Udemy courses. I'm currently learning python through them but also have their web dev courses as as my next to do. Just be sure to always find a promo code for Udemy so you only pay between $10-15 per course. In terms of computer science, I plan to also take the free CS50 through Harvard.
For motivation: I will listen to podcasts in the car related to development. Codenewbies, Learn to Code With Me, and the freecodecamp podcasts have many episodes that interview people who went through career changes and are now devs.
For productivity: I found I struggle with this especially because I work night shift and I flip my day/nights frequently through the week. I prioritize getting around 8 hours of sleep. If there is a day that I can only get 4-6 hours, then I try to make up what I missed by taking a nap or sleeping longer the next time.
I also find I study more effectively if I plan my day when I wake up or the night before. I recommend using an app like trello or notion to make a list of your goals for the day, what's in progress/what you're working on, and what you complete. I find that I procrastinate less when I am able to see what I need to do. (Essentially, breaking down the problem each day into smaller chunks and tackling each one individually)
When I study/code, I use a timer app to use the pomodoro technique and track how much time I actually spend working on something. This can also be motivating to see at the end of the week. I can also later track it to see which weeks where more effective and relate that to my work schedule.
Also, keep finding time to get out on your MTB!
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I wish you the best on your new career change! Similar to you, I am 36 with two kids in elementary, working full time, and trying to learn on my own. I'm also considering a bootcamp for those same reasons of networking and working through it with peers.
Thanks! Good luck to you as well! Have you tried anything that sticks out to you that you would recommend trying?
In terms of courses: I like both Colt Steele and Angela Yu's Udemy courses. I'm currently learning python through them but also have their web dev courses as as my next to do. Just be sure to always find a promo code for Udemy so you only pay between $10-15 per course. In terms of computer science, I plan to also take the free CS50 through Harvard.
For motivation: I will listen to podcasts in the car related to development. Codenewbies, Learn to Code With Me, and the freecodecamp podcasts have many episodes that interview people who went through career changes and are now devs.
For productivity: I found I struggle with this especially because I work night shift and I flip my day/nights frequently through the week. I prioritize getting around 8 hours of sleep. If there is a day that I can only get 4-6 hours, then I try to make up what I missed by taking a nap or sleeping longer the next time.
I also find I study more effectively if I plan my day when I wake up or the night before. I recommend using an app like trello or notion to make a list of your goals for the day, what's in progress/what you're working on, and what you complete. I find that I procrastinate less when I am able to see what I need to do. (Essentially, breaking down the problem each day into smaller chunks and tackling each one individually)
When I study/code, I use a timer app to use the pomodoro technique and track how much time I actually spend working on something. This can also be motivating to see at the end of the week. I can also later track it to see which weeks where more effective and relate that to my work schedule.
Also, keep finding time to get out on your MTB!