As an inspiring software engineer, of course, I decided to research about how to increase my productivity specifically related to this particular area of my life. Having done this countless of times, I decided to compile a list of some tips that continuously show up.

Let's get to it!

1. Set reasonable deadlines for yourself
This idea stems upon being restricted to time constraints. When you are limited by time, there is more motivation to find more effective and efficient solutions.

2. Minimize distractions and don't multitask
Of course, we've all heard this one. It's been proven that, no matter how much we want to believe, our brains cannot multitask. When jumping from one task to another, our brain is forced to refocus every time. Especially for those, such as developers, who work on complicated work, it takes even longer to refocus and get back to work once distracted.

3. Master your IDE
As a software engineer, you will end up spending countless of hours in front of this application. It is one of the most important tools you need after all. Therefore, you need to know its functionality and shortcuts at the minimum.

4. Take care of yourself
Yes, not all of these are technical but all are needed. Taking care of yourself means getting enough sleep, including some activity on a regular basis, having a healthy diet, etc. Without all these things, your productivity can easily be affected.

5. Build a structured routine
Especially these days and during peak COVID times when everyone was working remotely, employees were free to set their own schedules as long as they got their jobs done - for the most part. On top of that, companies allow their employees to choose which projects to join and which to disregard. Because of that, it is especially important for the individual to structure their own days and set a routine. It takes self-control to not simply sway in the wind and take life as it affects you, but it will payout to take a stand, choose a route, and stay consistent.

6. Get a mentor and learn from others
Although there is a lot of information online at the hands of anyone who wishes to learn a new topic, mentors and peers give a new perspective, can improve your understanding on concepts, and could also help increase your productivity.

7. Work on other projects and keep learning new skills
Side projects are a wonderful way to truly work on your own unique ideas while learning new skills. As you learn, you will be increasing your productivity by increasing your knowledge.

8. Refactor your code and write documentation
We have all seen long files of code without a single line of documentation and thought how? why? UGH! Writing code documentation saves everyone's time in the long run.

While refactoring your code can help long-term and short-term by making the code more efficient and maintainable while improving readability and helping with the debugging process.

9. Use automation
Automation is everywhere and can be easily used. For example, writing scripts to automate tasks. Repetitive tasks can be quickly taken off your to-do list. Automation reduces the time and effort it takes to do any task.

And that's all for my compiled list of tips for productivity. What have you found helps with your productivity? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy coding!