Boost Your Developer Productivity with These 5 Must-Know Tips!
Published: 2023-08-28 13:21:07

Being productive is an essential skill for your success as a developer.

A developer who possesses a strong work ethic not only demonstrates increased productivity but also contributes positive energy to the workplace — which has a direct impact on the team’s overall performance. This serves as a valuable indicator of the ultimate outcome of the product.

Being a productive developer has its perks — higher pays for getting quality work done in less time, better work-life balance, and, of course, an internal satisfaction.

To maintain productivity over a long period, it’s important to embrace specific work ethics and habits that gradually become ingrained in your daily routine. These practices will help you stay on track and accomplish your goals with ease.

Let’s walk through some effective ways to make your work and life as a developer productive.

**Tip 1: Master the Fundamentals**

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/dwzydn7rvv8avqpfz3t3.gif)

Many beginners tend to quickly browse through the basics and assume that the real excitement lies in advanced topics. However, they often give up prematurely, claiming that these advanced subjects are excessively challenging. It’s important to understand that without a solid foundation in the fundamentals, comprehending advanced topics can appear unattainable.

Therefore, even though the fundamentals may initially seem uninteresting or insignificant, they play a vital role in your learning journey. Embracing the basics is an initial investment that will bring significant rewards in the long term, something your future self will greatly appreciate.

**Tip 2: Implement it by reading documents or articles, NOT Watching Videos**

Developing practical skills is essential for success in a programming career. I’ve noticed many beginners who watch tutorials and assume they have the required skills.

Theoretical knowledge alone is of no value unless you can effectively apply it to real-world programming. Learning comes from hands-on experience, not just studying and not just watching videos.


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/iexqcwjjz45bihqk0cs2.png)

It’s important to stay resilient and not let discouragement easily take hold. When you tackle difficult challenges directly, it’s natural for the process to take time before you experience a significant breakthrough.

**Tip 3: Divide Large And Complex Tasks Into Smaller Tasks**

Divide the large complex task into smaller parts, don’t think much about the complex problem, — Just break it down and try to solve a small portion of it, by the end, you’ll see that it’s all done! Most of the developers waste their time thinking about the bigger task and got demotivated. Take it easy, start executing the small task, you can achieve the goal.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/jwwy9x9s9kn3urh2128a.png)

**Tip 4: Errors can be valuable allies**

No matter how skilled you are as a developer, encountering errors is a regular part of your journey. Sometimes you fix them right away, and oftentimes you do it after reviewing your code and You wish they never happened.

But Rather than becoming frustrated, take a moment to go through the error message. You’ll often find a clear indication of what’s causing the issue, which can help you resolve it swiftly and easily.


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/xl3isczjnh4x1ja0dkjb.png)

Learning to **debug an application** is simply the most important skill to master to _level up your programming skills_

**Tip 5: Know your development environment**

The more aware of the weapons in your arsenal, the easier it will be to kill the enemy. To be clear, the enemy is the distractions that break your workflow. To maintain productivity, it’s important to minimize the time spent on researching libraries or tools for your project and stay focused on the task at hand.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/lx2oz55rczfmkfhyerow.png)

To improve productivity, **learn all the code editor shortcuts** and use them in your work — it will save you both time and effort in the long run. Take your time to explore different tools, frameworks, and libraries to choose the best option based on your project requirements.

**Tip 6: Taking Breaks**

Developers often find themselves surrounded with a pile of work and deadlines which lead to longer working hours, without breaks.

There are enough [studies](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110208131529.htm) to support that taking breaks between work leads to higher productivity. It’s important to realize in order to keep up with focus and concentration levels, the mind needs a break from time to time.


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/japmgjjr0n22k8lto23t.gif)

A couple of ways to remind yourself it’s a time for a break are:

- **The Pomodoro Technique**: Setting timers help in dividing your goals and time management. As a result, your problem-solving skills improve drastically.
- **Drink water**: Keeping yourself hydrated at work helps you stay fresh and prevents exhaustion. Moreover, it’s a good incentive to take a walk.

I hope you find the above tips useful in improving your productivity as a developer.

Thanks for reading!

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