Distracted to Focused: 2 tools I’m using to elevate my coding journey!
Look, learning to code is DIFFICULT. The past 6 months or so have been an absolute grind as i’ve been learning a ton of complex concepts, languages, and ways of thinking… aka, JavaScript haha. However, here are 2 tools that i’ve been using over the past 2 months that have made me 10x more productive and focused than I was the months prior to that.
Origin of these two tools: As I was laid off, I decided to make the leap of faith and go full force into becoming a developer. However, I realized that I didn’t have a great structure to my days and was overwhelmed by the millions of tools online. So, I went to my friend who is a content creator and asked how she structures her days. The tools she gave me have drastically improved my focus and productivity.
Go check her out! : https://www.youtube.com/@Dxnicho
1. TogglTrack:
This application has been a LIFE-SAVOR.
TogglTrack allows you to divide your work into projects and then run a timer while you are working on them.
This has kept myself accountable for the time that I have actually worked on coding. When I click that start button, I am dialed in. If I go to the restroom, I stop the timer. If I grab lunch, I stop the timer. If I grab my phone, I stop my timer. I don’t know… having a timer there makes me feel compelled to want to stay in this flow state and also helps me avoid distractions knowing that I would need to stop my timer.
It also is a great reminder of the work you have put week in and week out. Not only that, but it can also show you when you are most productive so you can structure your days / weeks accordingly.
Things TogglTrack helped me with:
- Got distracted too easily
- Not feeling like I did a lot… even if I did
- Never being accountable to the amount of hours I said I was going to code
2. Habit Trackers:
I’ve always heard a lot about people who track their habits, but never saw the benefit until I tried it.
If you want to be on your “A” game, feel engaged, energetic… all of that starts with how you treated yourself the day before and the day of. Therefore, healthy habits are extremely important when crafting your day.
In my habit tracker, I put habits that would enhance my overall well-being and environment. The key to habits is to make them small, easily obtainable, and stackable! Try maybe 2 or 3 habits to do every day (or even 1) and then slowly build over time. It will do SO much for you!
Things my Habit Tracker helped me with:
- Staying consistent and disciplined
- Feeling more energetic
- Breaking down big changes into small sized bites
- Avoiding burnout
With these two tools, you can really elevate your workflow and daily life! It’s always been a struggle for me to find something that actually works well, so I can honestly say I’ve been consistent with both of these and I’m loving it!
Thanks for reading and best of luck to you and your days!