How a Programmer Can Rest Properly
Published: 2021-09-27 07:32:14

Full-fledged recreation is a guarantee of health and good working capacity of a person. For professionals engaged in different spheres of activity, certain types of recreation are suitable. For people whose work involves heavy physical labor, it is worth maximum relaxation after a day of work: read, watch a movie of your favorite genre. Office workers, who spend their days in a closed room, prefer walks in nature, yoga.

How should a programmer rest so that they are full of energy and enthusiasm each time to take up new tasks? Go on a trip, you say. It's the best way to get distracted, gain new impressions, be inspired. It's true. But what to do if the long-awaited vacation is not yet soon, projects need to be implemented, and customers as if conspired and set more and more new tasks?

Constant concentration and immersion in the work process often provoke chronic fatigue syndrome. You sleep, go for walks, chat with friends, but at the same time your brain is not relaxed. Over time, signs of fatigue such as irritability, absent-mindedness, lethargy, and insomnia appear.

A few simple but effective tips can help you rest properly.

## Separate work and personal life

Developers are so enthusiastic people that even distracted from work on the project, continue to think about work. Often they consider parallel replacement of the main activity as a rest, for example, reading specialized literature, make-up sites, studying new programming languages. However, the brain cannot take only useful information forever, which a developer tends to direct to personal professional growth.
Learn to tell yourself: "Stop!" It is extremely important for a programmer to learn how to effectively relieve emotional and mental stress. Carve out time for meaningful communication with your family. Do not be a bystander. Ask your relatives about what happened to them during the day, ask what the child has learned, ask your loved one what is worrying or pleasing them at the moment.

## Enjoy life outside of IT.

### Get a Pet
Not only can a pet bring a nice coziness to your non-work life, but it can also relieve work life if you work at home - for example, taking breaks to feed your pet can help you get used to taking five-minute breaks for small exercises.

It is impossible to say unequivocally that all developers should have this particular breed of animal. Each temperament and personality traits are worth selecting a different animal. Moreover, over time, the choice of breeds is becoming more and more diverse. For example, if before some people were torn between the choice between the Pomeranian Spitz and Husky, today they can simply contact the [Pomsky breeder](https://pomskyownersassociation.com/pomsky-breeders/) and get the pet of their dreams. If dogs are not for you, then today the choice is not limited to cats. People are now actively getting unusual pets: piglets, hedgehogs, raccoons, ducks, and many, many more.

### Practice water procedures

You've probably heard that water has an amazing ability to literally wash away fatigue. A contrast shower not only improves blood circulation but also helps muscles relax and saturates tissues with oxygen.

Conflicts with the boss or colleagues, communication with a "difficult" customer can knock out the rut and cause nervous exhaustion. To get out of a stressful state is worth meditating, take a warm (37-39 degrees) bath with a decoction of herbs: chamomile, mint, valerian. If you have no strength or desire to prepare a broth, use aromatic oils of orange, lavender, geranium, bergamot. They can be added directly to water or used in an aroma lamp.

### Rest actively

Practical programming, as well as learning, is associated with tremendous mental stress. You can spend all day in front of the monitor, in the evening feeling terribly tired, as from hard physical labor. But this feeling is false, and sports will help you fight it. Active rest is great for invigorating, it gets the blood flowing and gives you strength.

Many programmers feel the need for active recreation on a subconscious level, choosing sports as a hobby for free time. Running, snowboarding, swimming, kite surfing, rollerblading will help to cheer up and keep you healthy.

### Listen to music

Listening to your favorite songs and tracks while relaxing is a great way to relax and relieve stress. It does not matter what style you prefer, the main thing is that the list of works for relaxation is different from the work playlist. If you listen to the same music, the brain will not be able to switch, continuing to work in maximum concentration mode. By the way, psychologists recommend listening to the sounds of nature or classical music for better relaxation and relief of mental tension.

Cover Image by [Drew Coffman/Unsplahs](https://unsplash.com/photos/DzIt-fTYv4E)