I recently hosted an open space for new developers where a hot topic of conversation was how they could get to the end of the day and still have energy. As most people in that conversation were seeking advice rather than offering solutions we didn’t get too far in addressing the issue. With so many struggling, I thought it would be a good idea to hunt out some tips. Here’s a summary of what I found: 

Fix your desk setup

Using a computer takes a toll on our bodies, and it’s easy to have poor posture, especially when we’re working on a laptop. Research shows that poor posture can cause conditions ranging from fatigue to heartburn. After a day of this, the small, unnoticeable-in-the-moment niggles can affect how we feel. Reducing the physical stress on our bodies is an easy way of gaining some energy. So, book some time with yourself to review your working environment(s). Nerd Fitness has created an excellent guide to getting your workplace right (link is in the resources below).

Here are my highlights:

Adjust your chair so that your shoulders are relaxed and pulled back. 
Ensure that your monitor is at a height that allows you to look straight at it. If you’re a laptop user, get a separate keyboard and mouse to adjust things so that the monitor is in the right place. 
Keep your hands, wrists, and forearms in-line and roughly parallel to the floor when you’re typing.

Everything I read on this subject highlighted that a properly set up workstation is only part of the solution. We also need to move about and stretch from time to time. One thing that’s worked for me has been standing up during remote standup meetings, easier to do on work-at-home days, unless there are standing desks in your office.

Give Your Eyes a Break

We spend a lot of time looking at screens, which can lead to eye strain, fatigue, and difficulties with concentration. To prevent this, incorporate the 20-20-20 practice into your routine. Ophthalmologists recommend that for every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, take a 20-second break to focus on an object at least 20 feet away. Additionally, staying hydrated is crucial as it prevents your eyes from drying out and gives you an excuse to step away from the screen, further reducing eye strain.

Good Hydration

As well as helping your eyes, hydration is essential for overall well-being, research shows that even mild dehydration can negatively impact our mood and along with some other undesirable symptoms increase feelings of fatigue. NHS Scotland recommends drinking 6-8 mugs of fluids (water, diluted squash or fruit juice) spread throughout the day. They have also provided a helpful urine colour chart that you can use to check for signs of dehydration and take appropriate action.

Exercise to Boost Energy

Counterintuitively, adding exercise to your routine can help combat fatigue. If you find yourself too wiped out at the end of the day to do anything, consider swapping your binge-watching session for some easy exercise like stretching, swimming, jogging, cycling, or walking. These activities can help fight stress, decrease fatigue, and improve brain function. Alternatively, try exercising in the morning to give yourself an energy boost that lasts throughout the day. Taking a walk during your lunch break can help you recharge and provide a much-needed dose of fresh air to sustain your energy levels in the afternoon.

Swap your snacks

Fueling your body with the right foods is essential for maintaining energy levels throughout the day. Make a conscious effort to eat healthily, typical office snacks are my downfall and generally bad for long term energy. So find ways to swap sugary drinks, cakes, chips, and chocolate for healthier alternatives such as green tea, fruits, and nuts. Creating your own trail mix for the afternoon can be a great way to finish the day strong. Combine almonds, chia seeds, and walnuts for a snack that’s rich in magnesium and healthy fats, promoting energy production at the cellular level. Having it to hand is a great way to stop an unwanted trip to the vending machine.

Prepare the night before

Sleep is not just a passive activity; it is a powerful tool that can help you combat tiredness and restore your energy levels. Lack of sleep can lead to increased errors, reduced attention to detail, and burnout, making it harder to maintain energy after a workday. Experts recommend 7-9 hours each night. The quality of the sleep counts too, establish a consistent bedtime routine, create a relaxing environment, limit exposure to screens before bedtime, to make the most of your sleep

Tune out

In a busy office environment, distractions can sap your energy and hinder productivity. To combat this, consider investing in a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones, mine are lifesavers. By blocking out external noise, you can create a more focused workspace, allowing you to concentrate more easily on your tasks and end the day with more left in the tank. This certainly works for me. Listening to the right kind of music can also enhance focus and productivity. Instrumental music, particularly classical or jazz, has been shown to improve cognitive function and reduce stress. I’m generally finding that ambient electronic music is a great help at the moment but occasionally I switch to some indie rock favourites when I need to grind. Experiment with different genres and playlists to find what works best for you.

Stay on Target

Noise-cancelling headphones can eliminate many physical distractions, but we must also contend with digital distractions like emails, IMs, news alerts, and social media updates. Daniel Levitin, professor of behavioural neuroscience at McGill University notes that jumping from our work to deal with these comes with a biological cost that ends up making us feel tired much more quickly than if we sustain attention on one thing. Simple steps can reduce the attention thieves,

switching off notifications on our phones and computers
silencing our phone and placing it out of sight
Allocate times each day to check your email and socials a few times each day, maybe after stand up, after lunch and at the end of the day, add them to your calendar as a reminder

Build your focus muscle

Once you’ve managed external and digital distractions, focus on internal ones. Conditioned to expect constant new inputs, our brains may self-interrupt. To retrain our focus, try the Pomodoro Technique:

Structure work into 25-minute focus slots followed by 5-minute breaks. 
Note what interrupts you during focus time, then work on removing or preempting these issues. 
As focusing for the full 25 minutes becomes easier, extend the focus blocks - perhaps an hour of work with a 10-minute break.

Use Time Blocking

Transitioning between coding sessions and team meetings can have similar energy-draining effects. To reduce this, consider using time blocking to group non-coding tasks together. Time blocking involves segmenting your day into specific intervals, focusing on a single task or related tasks within each block. This technique aims to reduce distractions, minimise mental switching costs, and maintain high productivity levels. While working as an individual contributor, your ability to optimise your schedule will be limited, as the work you’ve been assigned that day will often dictate your schedule. However, as James Clear reminds us “Small changes, over time, can lead to big results. It’s the consistent, daily actions that create the foundation for long-lasting success.”

Here are a two easy ways to add some elements of time blocking to your developer schedule: 

Group regular non coding tasks where possible: Schedule related activities, such as one-on-one meetings and team meetings, back-to-back to minimise context switching. Plan calls and non-coding activities around retros and planning sessions to help creatre dedicated coding blocks. 
Block ‘focus time’ in your calendar: Reserve specific time slots for uninterrupted coding, preferably during your most productive hours. Leave some gaps around these blocks to allow others to book time with you if needed while mimising context switching.

Conserve Brain Power

Albert Einstein once said, “Never memorise something that you can look up.” We can apply this wisdom to our workday to make it less demanding yet equally productive. Creating a personal wiki or Confluence page to store useful knowledge. If a colleague shares a helpful tip or process, document it for future reference. For team-specific tasks like restoring a database from backup or updating the CI/CD pipeline, create a how-to guide in the team wiki.

Small-scale automations can also save brain power for more critical tasks. If you need to execute a series of commands in a specific order, create a script to streamline the process. This not only eliminates the need to remember the sequence but also provides a brief opportunity to stretch or rest your eyes.

Additionally, leverage email automation features to declutter your inbox. Set up rules to delete or file away unimportant emails, allowing you to focus on the most critical messages. Learn to use your IDE’s code snippets and intention-to-code features to let you stay in your problem-solving flow.

Get creative with tools like IFTTT and Zapier, they’re unlikely to be supported in the corporate work place but if you can use them to oil the the wheels of your personal admin the benefits will spill over, I’ve used features like email to Trello tasks to help me stay focused on coding, when a random home life todo invades my work thoughts I can fire off a quick email to myself that will added to a todo list saving the interruption and potential distraction of reaching for personal device and adding it directly.

Seek Clarity to Reduce Anxiety and Mental Fatigue

Before starting a new task or project, ask questions to ensure you understand the tasks and expectations. This practice helps minimize anxiety and mental fatigue caused by uncertainty or ambiguity. Remember that it’s never too late to seek clarification. Senior team members can be challenging to reach, so consider sending them well-thought-out questions on chat or email. Additionally, don’t hesitate to ask peers for help or advice, as they can provide valuable insights and support.

Exit Planning: Reflecting and Preparing for a Successful Tomorrow

Before leaving work for the day, some people find it beneficial to review their accomplishments and plan for the next day. This practice creates a sense of closure, ensures a smoother transition into the evening, and sets the stage for a productive tomorrow. Reflect on your achievements, challenges, and lessons learned from the day. This helps consolidate memories and allows your brain to process and store important information. Additionally, write down any lingering thoughts or ideas to address the following day, freeing your mind from the mental load and enabling you to be more present during your downtime. By incorporating an exit planning routine into your workday, you establish a clear boundary between work and personal life, allowing for better work-life balance and increased overall well-being. This practice sets you up for success the next day, as you can start your morning with a clear understanding of your priorities and a sense of accomplishment from the previous day.

I hope some of these suggestions help you maintain your energy throughout the workday, enabling you to enjoy your evenings to the fullest. As you implement these strategies and techniques, remember that it’s essential to find what works best for you and your unique circumstances. I’d love to hear about your experiences and which tips you found most useful.

Resources

Here are some links to the most useful resources I came across when pulling this together

Code Smart, Live Well: How Developers Can Stay Energised and Enjoy Their Evenings