You know the drill – another day, another Jira ticket.
As a software engineer, I write code on a daily basis. Like, all the time. And sometimes, I don’t want to type another freaking line. I stare at the screen and question all my life choices, especially the one that got me into tech in the first place. Sounds familiar?
Let’s be honest – the day-to-day work in corporate or startup codebases can get… a bit monotonous. Same language, same framework, same “urgent” bugs that were probably not that urgent two weeks ago.
So here’s the kicker: when you finally decide to switch companies or try something new, you realize your skills are… kind of dusty. That happened to me two years ago. I knew Java and Python. And that was it.
No Docker. No Android. Not even Redis. Shame.
So, I started my project. And here’s what I learned:
It’s not just about programming
Sometimes it’s about learning. I wanted to learn Kubernetes – so I didn’t just read about it, I tried it. I love roadmaps (they look so structured and productive, right?). They help for the big picture. But let’s be real – the best way to learn something like Android development is just to build something. Like a real project. Not a tutorial.
Do what you love (a.k.a. sudoku saves lives)
Not every task I get paid for brings me joy. Sometimes it’s just work – nothing fancy, nothing fun. But I love sudoku and I love time management tools. So guess what I do after hours? I build my own sudoku app. Or a task manager. It’s like therapy, but with code.
These side projects keep me from burning out. They remind me why I started coding in the first place.
Focus on architecture (finally!)
In your job, you’re usually not the one calling the shots on architecture. There are managers, leads, and – of course – deadlines.
But in your own project? You’re the boss. You get to play with Clean Architecture, implement Twelve-Factor App principles, and make all the mistakes in peace.
No Jira tickets. No legacy code. Just you, your brain, and your IDE.
Level up your skills (and time management)
Working on your own thing forces you to organize yourself. You plan, estimate, Google a lot, fail, and try again. And you level up – not just in tech, but in discipline, consistency, and problem solving. You get ideas. You write them down. You grow.
Conclusion: Build something for you
Don’t think of your own project as a waste of time. It’s your playground, your personal university, and your creative outlet.
So build that weird little app. Try that framework no one in your company wants to touch. Learn something new.
Write code you actually enjoy writing.
You’ll be surprised how far it’ll take you.
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