Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur

The steady path of continuous improvement can be derailed by burnout.  This situation can not only halt progress, but it can also cause us to fall backward.  The time and progress lost can be difficult to regain and cause a significant setback.  Therefore, we need to be aware of the signs of burnout and be prepared to make changes before it is too late. The Feeling of Being In A Rut One of the first signs of burnout is that sense of being in a rut.  The days start to run together, and progress is hard to recognize.  This state can be due to an actual spinning of wheels on a project or might be entirely in your mind.  In any case, your approach to each day is that you need to go through the motions again. You do that knowing tomorrow will be more of the same.  This lack of looking forward to anything of substance is very similar to experiencing burnout.  Thus, when you find yourself struggling to find or focus on goals, burnout might be right around the corner. A Lack Of Drive Lack of drive goes hand-in-hand with being in a rut.  I am not even sure you can have one without the other.  While the first item saps your desire to make progress, this one drains your desire to do anything.  Think about as someone running in circles and eventually wearing out from that effort.  This is the point where burnout truly begins.  Once your drive to progress dies, burnout comes next.  This point is not at that complete lack of drive state, though.  Once you see your general happiness and desire to make progress fade, then you want to make changes.  You are starting in a downward spiral at that point, so you need to get out of it. Looking For Excuses To Avoid Work The other items on this list almost guarantee this third one.  Once you find yourself unhappy or depressed about your work, then you will be happy to avoid it.  We all have valid reasons to put off work and things we should do.  However, when you are finding the most random and unimportant busywork to avoid your primary tasks, then you are showing one of the signs of burnout. Burnout and How To Avoid It While Staying Productive

It only makes sense that we would provide a list of things that better developers do during this season.  That is a primary focus of this site and one that is easy to step into.  None of these three tips are challenging to implement.  Nevertheless, each one builds over time to become a juggernaut of improvement.  These can make your career a successful one, no matter where you begin. Constant Learning It is no surprise that technology moves at a rapid pace.  There are new things to learn every day.  While that study flow of fresh content is impossible to keep up with, you will need to embrace learning.  An attitude of constant learning as one of your core tasks is required to keep up and fall into the better developer category.  Anyone can learn a skill and become productive.  The better developer learns a new skill over and over again.  They then take that new knowledge and apply it to solve new or more significant problems. Continual Learning - A little Each Day Embrace Challenges The life of a developer has ups and downs.  We all have days where everything falls into place works easily.  However, we also all have those days (maybe more often than not) where we stumble over typos and similar simple mistakes.  Those little things add up, and we may not feel as productive as were wanted to be.  That means we all fall short at times but will also find challenges on an almost daily basis.  That is part of the draw for the better developers.  They are looking for the next challenge to face or problem to solve. Interact With Their Co-Workers No man is an island.  That includes women as well.  We can only advance so far on our own no matter what the field is.  There is just too much education and experience we can lean on from others.  While it is arguable whether one person can eventually achieve the same thing a team can accomplish, the speed difference is significant.  Life is too short, and there is too much for us to know to ignore the benefit we get from others.  The better developers interact with others regularly.  They are open to new ways to solve a problem and learn from the experiences of others.  There is no other way to put it.  Your co-workers are valuable assets.  Take advantage of this valuable resource. Learning From Peers, Teammates, and Co-Workers

All resumes are not created equal.  There are impressive achievements we can list that will make us stand out from the crowd.  While these are goals that take some time and effort, many are not out of reach for anyone in the modern world.  Here are three such goals you can achieve to become a better developer and "wow" your colleagues. Write a Book There is still enough mystique around the title of "author" to impress many in the professional world.  That makes writing a book an option worth looking into.  One of the barriers to this goal is the perception that it is a huge undertaking.  While I do not want to downplay the work and self-discipline that is required to create a book, it is not near what many fear.  I would argue that anyone that has gotten a degree or professional certification can write a book as well. There are many tools available to help you write, edit, design a cover, and publish your book. These are all activities that are worth learning and often a matter of following well-defined steps.  In fact, the hardest step in writing a book may be selecting the topic and creating an outline.  The rest will flow more naturally than you think. Get Your Book On Amazon Create a Tutorial The tutorial and training industry has become flooded with authors.  These topics range from simple things like setting up your latest home device to classic history studies, to learning a language.  A brief search and review of these tutorials will confirm that there is a broad range of professional look-and-feel among these examples.  That is where you can make a difference and impress your co-workers.  The topics are plentiful.  Therefore, I find this to be the easiest of the three items in this episode to check off your list.  You can even knock out a professional-looking tutorial over a weekend.  So why wait? One of Many Presentation Template Site Create a Podcast This suggestion may seem to be evident from a podcast.  However, it is still one of the best of impressive achievements right next to writing a book.  The challenge for a podcast is to have regular content to present.  A book is a long talk about a single topic while a podcast requires multiple such presentations.  However, there is an ease in talking through a topic that does not exist when most of us write on the same thing. The good news is the number of active topics available that are excellent fodder for a podcast.  You can cover sports, technology, or even your favorite TV show.  All of these are worthy of a podcast and provide a steady stream of material.  It all comes down to discipline and setting a schedule then sticking to it.  While this is more difficult for some of us than others, these are all things that can significantly enhance your resume, and you might have some fun along the way.

One of the ways to achieve your dream job is to interview better.  That allows us to impress decision-makers and win the positions we are suited for.  However, a good interview requires time and practice as well as being intentional about the process.  Here are three tips to prepare for that next position and win over the interviewers. Research The Position and Company Nearly every interview starts with a "let us tell you about us" introduction.  This can sometimes drag out deep into the interview time slot.  Avoid this theft of time you can use to impress by driving the introduction.  Talk about what you know about the company and direct the conversation by asking for clarification or insight from them.  This allows you to take control over the process a bit and shows the others in the room that you care enough to "do your homework."  That can be impressive at any level.  However, the less expected from an interviewee, the more important this step can be. Glass Door Another User For Glass Door   Ask Questions Be an active participant in the process.  Ask questions about the company, job, and role that show your industry knowledge, desire to serve, and that you are engaged in the discussion.  There is nothing that can sink an interview faster than someone that only responds to questions in terse ways.  Make the interview a dialogue where applicable and use that time to "win over" the interviewers, so they are more likely to like and trust you. "I Do Not Know" Is A Valid Answer In talking about asking questions, I mentioned the "T" word.  That word is trust.  Your likelihood of an offer improves dramatically when the interviewers like and trust you.  When you try to talk your way through something you do not know it can destroy credibility. On the other hand, admitting a lack of knowledge shows your desire, to be honest, and direct.  Therefore, admit to a lack of expertise when you hit those snags.  This step also allows the interview to move on from what you do not know to the areas where you do.  That focus on your strengths and positives never hurts your chances of an offer.

Our career path will inevitably require us to try to win projects or land a job.  There are simply no ways to avoid that.  That means that almost every time you apply for a project or position, there will be others to compete against.  Here are three ways to put your best foot forward and separate your proposal from the others.  While these do not guarantee wins, they will help you stand out and get you in the door (literally or figuratively). Win Projects By Addressing Details The easiest way for someone to throw out a proposal is when it does not address the requirements.  Boilerplate applications and responses that skip over the details will almost always be ignored before reading even half of the proposal. The more you can focus on listed (and implied) requirements, the better.  This step allows you to highlight how well you are a fit and that you have shown the author respect by thoroughly reading the request.  A detailed response also shows a thoughtful and professional approach to work that can often move you way ahead in the line against the competition.  It is depressing how many applications for important roles and projects show almost no forethought.  That also happens to be a leading reason for projects to fail.  Why hire someone that does not show much concern for your project? Landing a Project for Your Side hustle Remove Fluff - Focus On Needs There is a time and a place for marketing materials.  Yes, your proposal should include some of this material to sell your case.  However, that tends to be "fluff" and not pertinent to the reader in making a decision.  Limit the marketing and general content.  Make an introduction, provide a little background, then dive into how you can address their request.  Consider how much time is required on the other end to read numerous proposals and dig through for details to compare vendors.  The easier you make their job, the more likely you are to start on the right foot with them. References, Examples, and Suggestions Words are great, but concrete examples are better.  Include references and examples of past work where applicable.  Also, the closer your previous work is to the type requested, the more that helps those that will decide on a winner to see how good you will be.  You lower or remove risk when you can show that you have done the same work before. Finally, do not be afraid to include some suggestions among the references and examples.  You can throw out ways that past solutions you have provided will be a good fit for them.  It may be even better to show how adjustments to previous solutions can provide a better end-result for this new project.

Writer's block is a nasty situation when you are trying to crank out regular content.  This may be for a blog, a podcast, or a brown bag lunch session.  In all of these cases, we want to get straight to the work of creating the content.  When we lack a topic or direction, that is not an option.  This situation can lead to a lot of lost time while we try to find a subject.  However, there are some areas where we can explore and often get past that block quickly. Recent Events The first area to explore is recent events.  Although technology moves fast, the other areas of our life tend to be dynamic.  That means any area of focus is going to have new events to work with.  Your unique take on a situation is always a potential topic for an article.  If not a personal view, then try to find someone you can interview or query for their thoughts.  When that does not work, you can move over to item two on our list. Something Learned or Experience Much like recent events, we are always learning and experiencing things that can prove attractive to others.  We can also reach back to things we learned months, years, or even decades in the past.  Even everyday learning experiences like riding a bike or tying a shoe can be a lead-in to your topic.  The more recent events will be more likely to erase that writer's block.  However, you may want to consider older lessons learned when you are desperate for a topic. New Technology Always Breaks Writer's Block We often talk about how fast technology moves.  That makes it a perfect source for information and ideas to break through writer's block.  Check out some of the popular blogs and news sites for ideas.  You can also visit vendor sites for the tools you use.  Whether you find a new announcement, a beta to play with, or the latest general availability release, you can often find a series of articles around these areas. An Excellent Technology News Blog

It is time for honesty.  There is a dirty little secret we need to discuss.  It might be surprising even.  However, we need to talk about the bugs in our code.  We all would like to think about writing error-free code.  Unfortunately, we also all know that we code bugs more than we want to admit.  Therefore, we spend a substantial amount of our time debugging errors ranging from typos to logical flaws.  That leads to the topic of this episode.  Here are three ways to approach your mistakes that will lead to faster debugging. Verify The Source is Correct The most common source of errors is not logic or even typos.  It is an out-of-date piece of source code.  This stale code may either be due to a failed save or cached source that needs to be cleared.  Think about it.  How often do you hear about or encounter a bug on a web page and your first response is to clear the cache?  This issue extends out to properly saving and deploying files.  It is incredible how often a simple fix like saving, deploying, or clearing a cache fixes the problem.  That all points to the most famous approach to fixing broken software; turn it off and then back on again. The IT Crowd Examples of Support Isolate The Problem For Faster Debugging The idea of fixing a problem where it occurs seems obvious.  However, the complexity of modern software can make that a challenge.  We often deal with several layers of logic and nested calls.  This architecture can make it easy to miss the step that creates the error.  That means we need to be intentional in tracking down the code that is broken.  When we do not, we run the risk of applying duct tape to a symptom instead of correcting the core error. Verify Assumptions When I look back on the most common mistakes I have made in debugging; assumptions are the bane of my existence.  Whether it is an assumption that my code works or that third party sources are correct, the result is the same.  We can spend hours chasing down phantom issues when assumptions point us in the wrong direction.  This recommendation is similar to isolating the problem.  However, assumptions can often lead us away from identifying the real issue.  Do not be afraid to peel all of the layers of your logical onion in an attempt to chase down that bug.

Steady progress is an essential step in becoming a better developer.  One tool for achieving this is to create a good set of tasks to complete.  A daily list is an excellent starting point for building this habit.  However, not all approaches are the same.  Keep these three items in mind so you can create a better to-do list each day. Simple/Actionable The central idea of a to-do list is to provide a simple plan for getting things done.  Thus, these tasks must be well-defined and easy for you to understand.  We want to be able to hold ourselves accountable for our list.  That is where the simple requirement comes in.  We are listing items that will either be "done" or not at the end of the day.  If the task is not defined in a way that is easy to assess for completeness, then we are missing the point.  Yes, this approach may require us to think about our tasks in a little more detail than we want.  However, "design" or planning time will be a good investment while helping us move more smoothly from task to task. https://psychcentral.com/lib/top-tips-for-setting-goals-and-priorities/ Realistic Software developers (among others) are famous for underestimating their tasks.  This weakness often spills over to daily task lists as well.  I personally run into this problem and have had numerous discussions with others in properly setting daily goals. When you create your list, make sure there is a lot of "wiggle room."  Things happen that take us off course.  That is ok.  We can adjust and work with an incomplete list at the end of the day.  On the other hand, a list that never gets completed will tend to lose its value.  Think about it. If you ask someone to do something and they tell you day after day that it will get done "tomorrow," when will you give up on it ever being complete? Eat The Frog/Set Priorities We have agreed that putting a task on a list does not mean it will get done "today."  Therefore, we need to order our tasks in a way that gets the most important ones done sooner rather than later.  Better yet, when we get the things we dislike done first, the other tasks seem easy and enjoyable.  There is no reason our tool for accountability can not provide us some victories and endorphin boosts along the way. Habits, Roadmaps, and the Value of Career Momentum

Relational databases are an essential piece of many modern solutions.  Thus, most developers have some exposure to SQL within the first few years of their careers.  Nevertheless, there are a few skills that separate database developers from others.  These three areas make a significant difference between those that want to stick out from their peers. Understand Joins (Inner, Outer, etc.) Relational databases are all about the relationships among data.  That means you are limited in how you can utilize these tools until you can leverage the relationships as part of a query.  Database relationships, at their most simple, will be among tables.  That leads to joins.  If you are struggling to understand how to join data from two (or more) tables, then you will struggle to retrieve the desired results.  Thus, the best first step in mastering SQL and queries is to get comfortable with how joins work. A Summary of Join Types Complex Queries - The Where Clause Once you understand table joins, then the where clause is next.  At its most basic, joins gather data for your query and the where clause filters that down to the exact desired results.  These two areas are critical to your understanding to craft high performing queries.  The where clause is more complicated though, as it tends to have more options and variations. A where clause boils down to a logical expression.  That seems to be why many people that struggle with where clauses hit a mental block.  The full spectrum of and-or combinations and throwing in inner select statements can quickly overwhelm even the stoutest logicians.  However, you can learn where clauses in steps.  There are levels of complexity that will provide you the tools required for higher levels of data extraction.  The good news is that these tend to have a reduced level of impact.  Those first few tiers of where clause understanding can provide all you need for eighty percent (or more) of the requirements out there. A Where Clause Tutorial Stored Procedures and Functions It is possible to do a lot of work with a database and never write a stored procedure or function.  However, this is a skill that all database developers have.  You cannot honestly call yourself a database developer if you lack the skills to code within the database.  That means stored procedures and functions.  These tools are not needed for every solution.  Nevertheless, they can make a significant difference in the maintenance, scalability, and performance of an application.  They are easily underestimated by those that do not understand them. DBVisualizer How To – Easy Database Administration and Usage Database Job Roles and Vendors – Databases Overview Part 2

  One of our often stated goals is to make progress on our goals every day.  That leads us to look for ways to create daily habits that promote progress and productivity.  In this episode, we look at three productivity habits you should adopt for a proper mindset before getting into the craziness that many days become.  These are easy to do and highly recommended among modern productivity gurus. List Your Goals For The Day The simplest thing you can do to start your day is to make a plan.  Likewise, the simplest plan you can make is a list of tasks.  This habit can end your day or start it, but in either case, the goals are to set priorities and reasonable goals each day.  Think of this as your roadmap for the day.  When things get hectic, or your mind wanders, you can return to this list to regain focus.  As a bonus, this also provides a way to claim small victories each day.  That may seem trivial.  However, we all have days where we are ecstatic to have any good news in our life. Use The Value of Steady Improvement to Achieve Big Goals Review Your Schedule Planning is a great way to start your day.  That includes looking over your prior commitments.  Give your calendar a once-over at least and make sure you have a high-level view of where you need to be and when.  An appointment you forget about or that you scramble to fit in (because you forgot about it) can be a substantial negative impact on your productivity.  Of course, it also can cause you to annoy or lose the respect of others.  Our lives tend to be very busy, and that makes it easy to overlook or forget an appointment.  Therefore, a habit of starting each day with a review of your schedule is needed and will reduce the risk of that embarrassing situation. Quiet/Reflection Time Taking time out is one of the better productivity habits you can create.  We see this in many situations.  A little time to "take a deep breath" is a key step in thinking outside of the box or other epiphanies.  When we start our day in some style of reflection, it helps us positively set our attitude.  The return on investing a little quiet time is rather amazing.  However, do not take my word for it.  Try it out for a week or two, and see how effective it is for you. Mindfulness Tools