8 Software Developer Productivity Tips (as Adapted from Tim Ferris)

How to be more productive in software development through routine and focus, as initially shared by Business Insider and expert Tim Ferriss. (Updated November 2019).

Given the number of life-hacking software developers and solution architects in our office, it should come as no surprise that at Praxent we are constantly trading developer-applicable productivity tips. From standing desks to flexible work-from-home policies, we’re always looking for new ways to work happier and healthier. So when we read ideas that could help improve our developers’ productivity, we get pretty excited.

A recent article from Business Insider, “6 Subtle Things Highly Productive People Do Every Day,” by Eric Barker echoed exactly the same kind of no-nonsense advice that is terribly helpful when feeling tired or off track during the workday. With input from The 4-Hour Workweek’s Tim Ferriss, the article is definitely worth a read and offers some valuable insight on improving software development productivity.

How to be More Productive in Software Development

The hacks in the article are wide-ranging, and applicable across many teams and work environments. They can be used to help improve developer productivity, as well as improve productivity of many facets of a business or personal endeavor. All told, Barker and Ferriss’s six pieces of advice are as follows.

Manage Your Mood

Research shows that the beginning of your day has a huge impact on your productivity, and if you start off on the wrong foot and are in a bad mood, you will wind up procrastinating more. Starting the day with a routine allows you to feel in control, which has positive benefits on your mood.

Don’t Check Email in The Morning

Although this is a habit for many, it’s not the correct way to start the day. Responding to emails often means you become reactive, and in doing so your goals for the day shift from your own towards someone else’s (those in your inbox). Rather than prioritizing your own goals, you’re allowing someone else to dictate them. Research even shows email is stressful, addictive, and can create bad behavior.

Before You Try To Do It Faster, Ask Whether It Should Be Done At All

There is a lot of focus on doing things quickly, but there are some things which frankly shouldn’t be done. Before diving in, ask if the task is worth doing or spending time on at all. If the answer is no, then don’t do it. Following a plan and sticking to your plan can help you adhere to this advice.

Focus Is Nothing More Than Eliminating Distraction

Deep focus is key to developer productivity. Focus can mean locking yourself away from the constant distractions of our world. It can also mean limiting the number of options you give yourself to procrastinate with. If you eliminate distractions, you’ll remain focused more easily.

Have A Personal System

All productive people have a routine, regardless of what their system looks like. Routine can be more effective than self-discipline. Sticking to your routine allows you to focus your decision-making on creative or important parts of work, rather than menial tasks.

Define Your Goals The Night Before

Wake up knowing what is important for you to accomplish in the coming day, and what should be prioritized. Stick to this list, and avoid distraction from the main goal, regardless of what arrives at your desk or inbox.

Personal Systems

One of the key points Tim Ferris makes is the importance of putting in place effective systems, rather than focusing on brute self-discipline. Most of us have spent, or wasted, a decent amount of time and energy getting mad at ourselves for not focusing hard enough or not getting enough done. Instead of expending energy on this negative task, Tim advocates for putting a plan or an automatic routine in place to increase productivity — and happiness. Beating yourself up is not how to be more productive in software development, so don’t expect it to make your work any better or increase your efficiency.

Ferriss says, “Self-discipline is overrated,” and Barker explains that “Your routines can be formal and scientific or personal and idiosyncratic – but either way, productive people have a routine.”

Get Focused

Tip #4, focus is nothing more than eliminating distractions, is all about remaining focused. Easier said than done though, right? There are so, so many distractions in today’s world, from our smartphones to inboxes to the hustle and bustle going on outside our windows. Yet, focus is absolutely essential to developer productivity, and is surprisingly attainable.

“Focus is thought of as this magical ability. It’s not a magical ability. It’s put yourself in a padded room, with the problem that you need to work on, and shut the door. That’s it.” – Ferriss

At Praxent, we’re really focusing on focus right now. We’ve spent a long time fine-tuning our collaborative workflow, and our environment of collaboration has led to better products for our clients. Yet, we still need to be careful to avoid becoming distracted. We have an open floor plan at the moment, for example, which has required us to get creative about simulating the padded-room experience. Developer productivity improvement is definitely always a work in progress, but one worth pursuing.

>>> Learn more about how we work at Praxent in our article, 7 Things Product Owners & CEOs Should Know About Praxent

Do you have any personal or office-wide productivity strategies, or ways you like to improve software developer productivity? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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