Part of learning to code is learning how to make progress. In fact, you can think of it as taking two courses: software engineering, and personal project management. Personal project management – by which I mean managing your own time and focus as you try to accomplish anything – is hard for most of us. So you have to make a full, separate study of it to succeed. You can’t just read a blog post or watch a video; you need data to find out what works for you. Here are some suggestions as to how to gather and manage that data.
Checklists
Learning to code is a project that can be broken down into measurable steps. I like to put those steps into a checklist. There many apps for this, or you can go analog and choose a bullet journal or other paper planner. You can use a fancy pencil or pen to write down your goals and check them off as you go along. Use Google Sheets or another spreadsheet tool, but make it colorful. Recordkeeping shouldn’t be too time-consuming, but it should be attractive and engaging, or you won’t keep track and you’ll have no data.
Time Trackers
Set a goal for how much time you want to spend per day or week, and then calculate your progress. My Flatiron educational coach recommends a free online timer called Toggl, or try a Chrome extension or an app. Pay attention not just to how many hours you are putting in, but what time of day works best for you; don’t set your alarm for 5 AM if you don’t learn well at that hour. Do you accomplish more with big chunks of time, or one hour three times a day? Arrange your schedule accordingly. For the big picture, try #100DaysOfCode. Finally, if you are learning to code full-time, treat it like a job, with hard start and end times and a set lunch hour every day.
Effective Breaks
Taking a break can refresh your mind, but you can measure and optimize breaks as well. The Pomodoro Technique is the best-known method, but you can customize it or find an app to suit your learning style. What should you do on your break? Exercise is good for your brain, or maybe it’s time for a snack. Art and music give the left side of your brain a rest, and a power nap is good for your eyes. Don’t make your breaks too long, or it will be hard to get back on track. Take the kind of break that helps you re-focus quickly when it’s time to get back to work.
Hazards
Identify your hazards, and avoid them. I couldn’t turn off the television, so I got rid of it – ten years ago. Slack notifications were distracting me, so I turned them off. Are you spending too much time on your phone? Put it in a drawer. You probably don’t realize how much time you’re spending on social media, but there are many ways to track that and other hazards. Even a quick check of Twitter will wreck your momentum. Last night I cooked what was billed as an eight-minute soup, but when you count setup, chopping vegetables and cleanup, it took 90 minutes. (That doesn’t count the broth I made and froze a few weeks ago – and now you know that cooking is one of my hazards!)
Settings
Do you learn better when it’s quiet, or when there’s music or background noise? Do you need to take yourself to a library, WeWork or coffee shop to avoid distractions at home? Fellow students can help you learn and keep you on task, so try study groups, online pair programming, and meetups. If you find meetups stressful, try the ones that offer a speaker or a seminar, so you learn and have something to talk about at the social event afterwards. Find the settings that work best for you.
Results
In Flatiron’s online self-paced program, I can see the number of lessons in my current section, the total number of lessons in the entire program, and what percent complete I am in each. I can look at my Flatiron dashboard or my GitHub profile overview to see how many lessons I have completed this week or how many days in a row I am making contributions. This is great feedback you can use to see if your learning strategies are working.
Conclusion
Learning is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. There are a million self-help resources out there, and they are good for exploring ideas. But you are the only one who can manage your progress. Gather as much data as you can, and do what works for you.