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Discussion on: Programmers who only code at work

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Dave Nicolette ن ✡ ☽ • Edited

IME the majority of people work to live, they don't live to work. Programmers who are passionate about programming are in the fortunate position to earn a living doing something they love. That's great. But there are millions of people in the software field. It's unrealistic to expect all of them to be passionate about programming.

A happy life usually means a balanced life. Doing the same thing 24x7 doesn't sound balanced to me.

That said, programming and related disciplines are not "just a job," they're a profession. Any professional has an obligation to keep up with new developments and keep their skills sharp. That means a professional programmer has to invest some personal time in career development. It doesn't have to be 24x7. There's plenty of space between the person who is bored at work and can't wait to get away from the keyboard, and the passionate developer who can't get enough programming.

I usually advise younger colleagues (who ask) to decide how much of their own time they're willing to invest in their own career growth, and plan to learn about specific new advances in the industry that they think will be of value to them going forward. It isn't necessary that they subordinate their entire lives to their work, but it is necessary that they do more than just show up at work.