When I first entered IT as a junior developer, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. At that time, IT was all about language syntax and algorithms to me. I thought I would always be working on one task, perfect it, and then move on to the next one. (I also thought tasks had only one solution.) But as a junior, I found myself juggling multiple projects, and to be honest, I was all over the place. I burned out pretty quickly. So, how can you manage this better than I did? Let me share some tips with you.
1. Planning and Prioritization
Yes, we’ve all heard it a million times—planning is important. And here I am, telling you again. Planning is the first step to effective time management and resource allocation, especially in the fast-paced IT world. It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos and completely skip it. But trust me, your calendar (whether physical or digital) will become your best friend. I personally prefer to use both.
Recommended Tools for Planning:
- Trello: Great for visually tracking tasks.
- Todoist: Perfect for simple to-do lists.
- Google Calendar: Useful for scheduling meetings and time blocks.
2. Time Allocation
One of the worst things for me was decision paralysis. What should I work on now? What do I want to work on? I ended up wasting more time thinking about what to do than actually doing it. The Pomodoro technique saved me, helping me split tasks into time blocks with short breaks.
A typical day for me looks like this:
- 1 Pomodoro (2 hours) – Project A
- 1 Pomodoro (2 hours) – Project B
- 0.5 Pomodoro (1 hour) – Answering emails and admin work
- 1 Pomodoro (2 hours) – Project C
- 0.5 Pomodoro (1 hour) – Learning and development
Establishing time blocks and sticking to them helps me stay productive and focused.
3. Minimizing Distractions and Taking Breaks
I’m not a fan of those LinkedIn posts where recruiters talk about their “irresistible” job offers. Over the years, my phone number seems to have found its way to a bunch of companies offering irresistible offers I can easily resist. These calls break my concentration, and it takes a while to get back into the zone. That’s why I have dedicated blocks for answering messages and calls. Most of the time, I work with notifications turned off and my phone set to “Do Not Disturb.”
By the way, breaks are just as important as minimizing distractions. My timer forces me to take a walk, stretch, and reset my brain.
4. Aligning Projects
When managing multiple projects, I try to find common ground between them. Some days, I focus only on databases; other days, I write documentation or do testing. Setting up projects, containerization, or creating new tasks are things I try to handle in one sitting. Plus, I focus on one programming language at a time. Right now, I’m working with Java because I’m developing my personal project, Tasmag, in this language. I even choose consulting jobs that align with this goal.
5. Regular Reviews
Reviewing my progress is just as important as planning. Back in the day, I often found myself in a bad mood, seeing only the tasks I hadn’t finished, overlooking what I had accomplished. At the end of each week, I pause to review what went well and what I need to work on. I also set priorities for the following week. For example, I already know that next week, I’ll be focusing on authentication tasks.
Conclusion
The key is to take that first step. Planning helps me avoid decision paralysis and stay focused on what’s truly important. I hope these tips help you stay organized, boost your productivity, and keep you from losing your head over projects like I did back in the day.
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