Developer Productivity Tips

Eight tips for becoming more productive as a developer

10 months ago I transitioned to full-time remote work. First to help my medically fragile son, and then again for Covid-19 lockdown. This is a list of things that have helped me cope, and still have a good work-life balance.

1. Reduce randomization

Try to start and stop work at the same time every day.
Try to take scheduled breaks, ideally at the same time every day

2. Reduce or eliminate time-wasting activities

Cut down on social media, news, etc.
turn off phone notifications.
Schedule e-mail checking. (limit to once per hour if possible)
when checking messages, you don’t need to respond immediately, schedule responses into batches

3. Create a workflow that works for you (or your team)

If you work in a team, ensure that you all follow the same workflows as much as possible (Scrum, Kanban, etc.)
If you are a solo developer find what works for you ans stick to it
Constantly review your workflow patterns to ensure that they are working (keep doing what works, change what doesn’t) don’t be afraid to try new things.
Create and follow a template or framework that works for you
Acknowledge that all projects are different and have different needs
Work in the smallest possible chunks of tasks
automate what you can

4. Use good project management tools

Find the right tool for you.
Do NOT try to keep everything in your head. You will fail.
Simpler is better
Don’t rely on ephemeral systems (e-mail, SMS, etc.)
Your goal should be able to quickly create or find tasks and plan your work
Find something accessible:
- Something cloud-based and accessible whenever you need it is great
- Don’t rely on local systems dependent on network availability, or prone to failure.
For larger team projects I use Jira or TFS (Azure DevOps). Github is perfect for solo work, smaller teams, or Open Source projects.

5. Use tools to help you code faster

Learn your code editor shortcuts, snippets, etc.
Find plugins to help you (I love Resharper for C# or RedGate tools for SQL, but your opinions may vary)

6. Take breaks

Overworking can cause burnout, stress, and depression.
Take at least one 15 minute break every 1-2 hours.

7. Minimize distractions

Set limits and boundaries with co-workers or family members to avoid interruptions.
Create a peaceful and productive work environment

8. Always seek to improve

Learn new things every day
Keep your passion for what you do
invest in yourself and your career
Dedicate time for learning.