What to do when you don't feel like coding or feel overwhelmed

Discussion
1

I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed sometimes, so I just keep watching YouTube or play CS.

2

Take a walk. Nature is calming.

3

Rory said:
Take a walk. Nature is calming.

Cooking works for me as well. Just find something else you enjoy.

4

Rory said:
Take a walk. Nature is calming.

My kind of people! I love getting out in the woods with the trees.

5

Rory said:
Take a walk. Nature is calming.

Exactly! Plus, running and mountains are great.

6

I check my bank account, see it’s negative, and remind myself I’m more tired of bills than coding, so I start coding until I get a good job.

7

Paxton said:
I check my bank account, see it’s negative, and remind myself I’m more tired of bills than coding, so I start coding until I get a good job.

lol this.

“What do you do when you don’t feel like working?”
I look at my family, pets, employees, and bills. That’s enough motivation. Too many people depend on me to provide - no more video games until I make money.

8

Paxton said:
I check my bank account, see it’s negative, and remind myself I’m more tired of bills than coding, so I start coding until I get a good job.

Taking a nap can help too.

9

Paxton said:
I check my bank account, see it’s negative, and remind myself I’m more tired of bills than coding, so I start coding until I get a good job.

Totally the right answer.

10

Avoid screens. Your brain needs a break. Go outside for a walk, work out, or run. Exercise helps clear your mind and boosts brain health.

11

I doomscroll to overwhelm myself even more, but it’s not advisable.

12

You need to take a break, but know the difference between taking a break and procrastinating. A break at the right time is good, but if you keep taking breaks without working, that’s procrastination. Usually, starting with a few lines of code gets me back into it.

13

@Sawyer
Yeah, I’ve been doing that for years and I still find myself procrastinating. Complex features or new implementations often lead me to this. I color-code tasks red to mentally prepare before tackling them.

14

Sometimes stepping away is exactly what you need to return refreshed.

15

It helps to be organized. I make a weekly list of daily goals that I know I can achieve - like cleaning up a site template. I write a bullet list of small tasks. Once I start, I often find myself working on more once I’m engaged. Focus on small tasks you can cross off, and set major milestones too.

16

@Jules
Yes! As others said, take a break and go for a walk to let your mind relax.
Try the Pomodoro technique: work for an hour then take a short break to move around. Get back to it afterward.

17

Shai said:
@Jules
Yes! As others said, take a break and go for a walk to let your mind relax.
Try the Pomodoro technique: work for an hour then take a short break to move around. Get back to it afterward.

I find that when I’m stuck, taking a break and thinking away from the computer always helps. Just the other day I was stuck for hours, went to bed, and woke up with the solution.

18

Find something boring to do (like cleaning or paying bills). After 5 minutes, you’ll be eager to get back to coding. Avoid things that take too much time and focus (like video games).

19

That’s why I freelance and keep my workload around 60%. I bill 3-4 hours a day. If a good project comes up, I take it knowing I can manage it while still keeping my normal load comfortable.

20

I follow a forced focus/break method like Pomodoro. Staying focused for long stretches can be tough. Frequent short breaks help me avoid burnout by checking my overthinking.