- Research time management and productivity
- Design and record a plan for getting work done during Foundations
- Explain "Time Boxing" and describe how to use it
Remote learning, contracting and working autonomously are really rewarding opportunities open to web developers.
They can also be difficult, unproductive and stressful if you don't have excellent time management skills and great habits. There are many techniques and ideas on how to develop these skills and habits - you'll need to find the ones that fit you.
Here at Dev Academy, we're asking you to do a rather extraordinary thing - Become a web developer in 15 weeks. How you manage your time is an incredibly important part of that journey.
In this exercise you'll explore the domain of time management and productivity and develop a plan for your study.
| Exploration | Time to box |
|---|---|
| Explore | 1 hour |
| 4 Questions | 5 minutes |
| Plan | 15 minutes |
| Reflect | 15 minutes |
This is a large domain, ironically easy to sink too much time into - we recommend timeboxing an hour to skim these resources before diving deeper into the ones that seem most valuable to you.
- Counter-intuitive productivity
- Pomodoro Technique - focus on one thing for 25 minutes then take a 5 minute break
- Make it big by starting small
- The Best Tricks for Getting in the Zone at Work
- Timeboxing
- Stop Procastinating - 10 tips to try
- Single Tasking
Credit: Joris Toonders, Entreprenuer
Many people just start the day by following their to-do list and checking their e-mail. [Josh] learned that the most effective way to coach yourself is to ask yourself 4 powerful questions every day. Ask yourself 2 questions at the beginning of the day and 2 questions at the end of the day. It makes sure you're much more focused on things that really matter and makes every day more fun.
Take 15 minutes to ask yourself 4 questions and write down the answers. It's an extremely powerful way to train your brain. It gives you a better understanding on what things you need to improve and gives a better feeling because you're working towards your long term goals.
The 2 questions to ask yourself at the beginning of every day:
1. What are my goals today? Most people have goals in the mid and long term (e.g. Learn web development), but don't translate them to the short term. If you want learn to be employed as a web developer in 6 months time, what are you doing today to reach that goal?
An example goal might be "Complete JavaScript blog challenge" or "Spend 4 hours coding"
Ask yourself every day: What are my goals today?
2. What are my challenges today? Successful people set themselves challenges every day. It's a way of living. You have to challenge yourself every day, to get the most out of you and become better, faster and smarter. It will make life much more interesting. Set yourself challenges and enjoy the journey.
Ask yourself every day: What are my challenges today?
The 2 questions to ask yourself at the end of every day:
1. Have I reached my goals for today? Setting yourself goals at the beginning of each day isn't enough. You have to evaluate yourself. Make sure you don't get lost in excuses, by telling yourself that you weren't able to reach your goals today. The goals you've set by yourself in the morning, were the goals you wanted to reach. Have you succeeded?
If yes, take a moment to enjoy the fact that you reached it and ask yourself what you've done well today to reach your goals. If not, ask yourself what you can do better the next day to make sure you reach your goals. If you fail to reach your daily goals day by day, try different ways of working to improve it. Don't give up. If you reach your daily goals day by day, try giving yourself more ambitious goals and look what's happening.
Ask yourself every day: Have I reached my goals for today?
2. What have I learned today? Take a moment every day, to ask yourself what you've learned today. It can be everything, as small or as big as you want. If you don't learn enough, take a critical look at the goals and challenges you set every day. If you learn a lot, life will be much more fun.
Ask yourself every day: What have I learned today?
- Using the knowledge you have, design a plan for your Foundations work. Write your plan in your learning journal.
- Use a calendar to block out your time. Know when you are going to study and when you are going to relax.
In your journal ask yourself what you have learned today. Why is it important? Relevant?