Working Methods To Make Programming Students Be More Productive
Pursuing a programming career can be quite a challenging task, especially when trying to learn all the different concepts on your own. It is no joke that many students who pursue this path take years before landing their first job as a programmer. Programming requires thinking critically in solving problems and coming up with efficient solutions for those problems. The ability to think critically and approach your work can make or break your career as a developer. Below are some of the hacks that helped me become more productive not only during my learning journey but also after I started working professionally:
“Find Your Why”
Most people start programming because it has been hyped by society and others tell them about its benefits (which is true). However, to be productive, you need to have a personal reason why you are doing it. Why do you want to learn? Is it because you want to create your games or build websites for people? Knowing your “why” will keep you moving when the learning process gets tough and help remind you of your goals.
Organize Your Time
Like setting goals, organizing your time can help you be more productive. Having an idea of what you plan on working on each day will help reduce the chances of feeling overwhelmed and stressed. I usually like to work on one problem for a few hours and then take a break before coming back later. This way, I can approach the problem with fresh eyes and develop a better solution. At times, the semesters can get overwhelming, and I find it ok to pay someone to do my homework so that I can focus on studying for my exams. The trick is finding someone reliable to do the job.
Set Realistic Goals
One way to set yourself up to succeed is by setting realistic goals for each day/week that can be accomplished. When I started, I would try to learn a new concept every day, which usually resulted in me getting overwhelmed and frustrated since I could not retain everything I had learned. Once I started focusing on smaller goals, such as understanding how control structures work or writing a function, it felt more manageable and less stressful.
Take Breaks And Get Enough Sleep
Coding is no joke; you need to be at your best mentally to solve the problems you encounter. One way to do this is by ensuring that you get enough sleep every night so that when working on issues the next day, your brain will be functioning correctly. Since programming can take hours sitting down in front of a computer screen, it is also essential to take breaks after some time so that you do not stay too long in one position, which could result in back pains or eye strains, among other things. You are most productive when your mind and body are both healthy!
Get the Necessary Learning Materials
Programming students need to have the necessary learning materials to be productive. This includes textbooks, software manuals, programming language reference guides, and coding examples. Having these materials will help students understand the concepts they are learning and allow them to practice their programming skills. Another way for students to become more productive is using an online code editor such as Code School or CoderPad. An online code editor allows students to write and test code snippets in real-time without installing any software on their computer. This can be an ideal trick for students to experiment with new programming languages and techniques.
Celebrate your Small Victories
We both know how it feels working coding all night long on that one project, and in the end, you realize that it was all for nothing. You find yourself frustrated and demotivated. This is why it’s important to celebrate your small victories along the way. Each time you finish a task, you take a few minutes to celebrate your success, no matter how small. Take a break, reward yourself with something nice, or tell yourself, “good job.” This will help keep you motivated and focused on your goals.
Ask Questions
Don’t shy away from solving problems despite your inability to derive solutions. Ask questions. It’s the only way you can solve complex coding problems.
Ask for help from those with experience in programming and who know specific languages you want to learn. You’ll be amazed at how much they don’t mind helping you along with solving challenging coding problems. The more experience one has as a programmer, the more likely they will guide and mentor other programmers on approaching tough challenges while learning new languages and frameworks.
Get a Programming Partner or Online Community
Getting a programming partner should be your first move to becoming productive as a programming student. I mean, you can’t just sit in front of the laptop and slog through problems all day long without having someone who can support you or make suggestions if needed. Your partner should preferably have similar goals and interests to yours, especially on matters relating to the field of programming. You can also join an online group on social media so that you will always have someone to talk to about different topics – code! You’ll never know when a good suggestion from other people would give you that breakthrough regarding solving a problem or implementing something new into your project. But apart from technical help, it is also essential that there’s somebody you can confide in whenever things don’t go your way and make you feel better. The camaraderie between programming partners or in an online community can help motivate each other to do better, and before you know it – productivity skyrockets!
Parting Shot
If you want to become a productive programmer, you must understand that becoming a successful programmer does not just involve programming. You have to do other things like writing and speaking too. As a result, we’ve discussed some of these tips that will enable you as a student developer to enhance your productivity level. We believe that if you borrow these tips and work hard on becoming a better programmer, then success is definitely within reach!
Working Methods To Make Programming Students Be More Productive
Pursuing a programming career can be quite a challenging task, especially when trying to learn all the different concepts on your own. It is no joke that many students who pursue this path take years before landing their first job as a programmer. Programming requires thinking critically in solving problems and coming up with efficient solutions for those problems. The ability to think critically and approach your work can make or break your career as a developer. Below are some of the hacks that helped me become more productive not only during my learning journey but also after I started working professionally:
“Find Your Why”
Most people start programming because it has been hyped by society and others tell them about its benefits (which is true). However, to be productive, you need to have a personal reason why you are doing it. Why do you want to learn? Is it because you want to create your games or build websites for people? Knowing your “why” will keep you moving when the learning process gets tough and help remind you of your goals.
Organize Your Time
Like setting goals, organizing your time can help you be more productive. Having an idea of what you plan on working on each day will help reduce the chances of feeling overwhelmed and stressed. I usually like to work on one problem for a few hours and then take a break before coming back later. This way, I can approach the problem with fresh eyes and develop a better solution. At times, the semesters can get overwhelming, and I find it ok to pay someone to do my homework so that I can focus on studying for my exams. The trick is finding someone reliable to do the job.
Set Realistic Goals
One way to set yourself up to succeed is by setting realistic goals for each day/week that can be accomplished. When I started, I would try to learn a new concept every day, which usually resulted in me getting overwhelmed and frustrated since I could not retain everything I had learned. Once I started focusing on smaller goals, such as understanding how control structures work or writing a function, it felt more manageable and less stressful.
Take Breaks And Get Enough Sleep
Coding is no joke; you need to be at your best mentally to solve the problems you encounter. One way to do this is by ensuring that you get enough sleep every night so that when working on issues the next day, your brain will be functioning correctly. Since programming can take hours sitting down in front of a computer screen, it is also essential to take breaks after some time so that you do not stay too long in one position, which could result in back pains or eye strains, among other things. You are most productive when your mind and body are both healthy!
Get the Necessary Learning Materials
Programming students need to have the necessary learning materials to be productive. This includes textbooks, software manuals, programming language reference guides, and coding examples. Having these materials will help students understand the concepts they are learning and allow them to practice their programming skills. Another way for students to become more productive is using an online code editor such as Code School or CoderPad. An online code editor allows students to write and test code snippets in real-time without installing any software on their computer. This can be an ideal trick for students to experiment with new programming languages and techniques.
Celebrate your Small Victories
We both know how it feels working coding all night long on that one project, and in the end, you realize that it was all for nothing. You find yourself frustrated and demotivated. This is why it’s important to celebrate your small victories along the way. Each time you finish a task, you take a few minutes to celebrate your success, no matter how small. Take a break, reward yourself with something nice, or tell yourself, “good job.” This will help keep you motivated and focused on your goals.
Ask Questions
Don’t shy away from solving problems despite your inability to derive solutions. Ask questions. It’s the only way you can solve complex coding problems.
Ask for help from those with experience in programming and who know specific languages you want to learn. You’ll be amazed at how much they don’t mind helping you along with solving challenging coding problems. The more experience one has as a programmer, the more likely they will guide and mentor other programmers on approaching tough challenges while learning new languages and frameworks.
Get a Programming Partner or Online Community
Getting a programming partner should be your first move to becoming productive as a programming student. I mean, you can’t just sit in front of the laptop and slog through problems all day long without having someone who can support you or make suggestions if needed. Your partner should preferably have similar goals and interests to yours, especially on matters relating to the field of programming. You can also join an online group on social media so that you will always have someone to talk to about different topics – code! You’ll never know when a good suggestion from other people would give you that breakthrough regarding solving a problem or implementing something new into your project. But apart from technical help, it is also essential that there’s somebody you can confide in whenever things don’t go your way and make you feel better. The camaraderie between programming partners or in an online community can help motivate each other to do better, and before you know it – productivity skyrockets!
Parting Shot
If you want to become a productive programmer, you must understand that becoming a successful programmer does not just involve programming. You have to do other things like writing and speaking too. As a result, we’ve discussed some of these tips that will enable you as a student developer to enhance your productivity level. We believe that if you borrow these tips and work hard on becoming a better programmer, then success is definitely within reach!
