I'm currently diving into web development, but I feel like my productivity could use a serious boost. Typically, I manage around three to four hours of study each day, spread out over a couple of two-hour sessions. However, it seems like only about 20% of that time translates to actually building features. I'm spending around 40% of my time debugging, and another 10% is spent just thinking about how to tackle my problems. Often, I jump straight into coding without much planning. I've heard others say that putting in 8 to 12 hours a day is necessary for significant progress, which makes me question if I'm just hitting my limit. I also wonder if I should explore other fields since I've had similar struggles in the past when preparing for exams. Back then, I was able to study for more than 8 hours daily, yet I still didn't succeed. Now, I'm not sure if my challenges stem from my approach, my capabilities, or if web development just isn't for me.
2 Answers
Totally with you on this! You’re definitely not slow just because you aren’t studying for endless hours. In web development, spending 40% of your time debugging and 10% thinking is pretty standard. The key is to set a plan before you start coding. A quick 10 to 15-minute design phase where you define what you want to achieve can help a ton. Also, keep track of your progress by focusing on the outcomes instead of the hours spent. Celebrate those small wins—it all adds up!
Honestly, 3 to 4 focused hours is already pretty good! Don't beat yourself up for not cranking out 8 to 12 hours. Debugging and thinking are crucial parts of developing, so those hours aren't wasted. I'd suggest optimizing your workflow a bit—try spending 10 minutes upfront to plan your tasks. Break down your objectives and set a time limit to avoid getting lost in debugging.
That makes a lot of sense! So, if I have a goal to write a function that filters an array of languages for the latest versions, I should outline my approach first. Maybe sketch on Excalidraw to visualize my logic and ask myself the right questions before diving into the code. Does it help to create a sort of handbook for common tasks? Would that streamline my learning more?