If you’re not prioritising your wellbeing, you’re not performing at your best…

There is no need to overthink it…

PHYSICAL:
A gym workout.
A jog.
A walk.

MENTAL:
Meditate.
Reflect on your achievements.
List 10 things you’re grateful for.

Remember, you don’t need an excuse to protect your wellbeing.

3 ways that great software engineers demonstrate empathy…

They empathise with the problems and frustrations felt by their users, making them more likely to be able to solve their user's problems appropriately.

They empathise with the stress their product owner is under to deliver their project and recommend the most appropriate technical solutions based on the circumstances.

Many developers struggle to get started with meditation…

 Give the reps and sets method a try…

The "Reps and Sets" method appeals to me because I’ve spent most of my life doing reps and sets…

I’ve done reps and sets while;
 Golf training
 Squash training
 Running training
 Swimming training
 And most notably, resistance training in the gym

"I don't feel like I'm ready yet...", "I don't feel like I'll ever be ready... "

I heard something similar recently from someone looking to break into tech...

Your self-talk is effectively programming your mind; saying something like this or even thinking it to yourself regularly is a sure way to halt your progress.

Me: "What do you think 'being ready' means?"

3 things that held me back early in my career...

Not asking questions
Not volunteering for new projects
Wanting to work alone and turning up my music...

Or put another way…

Confidence
Self-Belief
Attitude

Thinking about a problem and not doing anything about it is just procrastination...

 Doing something without thought is just being busy...

Thinking something through and taking action is where the magic happens.

Back-to-back meetings are a pain at the best of times, probably more so for software engineers.

Many software engineers come out of meetings feeling disengaged, annoyed and even angry at times...

Imagine the impact of carrying over those feelings straight into your next meeting; it's not likely to go as well. as it could...

It's tempting to sit in the house coding all weekend…

Get your backside out of that computer chair...

Make the most of your weekend…

At a minimum, make sure you take breaks...

 Take a little walk
Do a short bodyweight workout
Spend 10 minutes doing some mobility work…

It's pretty difficult to undo the damage of constant sitting…

Meditation can benefit your mental wellbeing, so why not try it…?

People often struggle due to unrealistic expectations of clearing their minds entirely...

Try this for one week…

The sole intention is to notice your thoughts…

 Choose a dedicated quiet space for meditation.
 Take 5 minutes each day to focus on your breathing.
#developers #coding #softwaredevelopment #softwareengineering #wellbeing #mindset #mentalhealth

One of the most productive things I can do for my team as a developer and leader is to adapt to THEM rather than force them to adapt to ME…

How not to impress when you have time pressures and tight deadlines…

 Work long hours…
 Skip your lunch…
Stop taking breaks…

This sets an expectation that is difficult to change and sends you spiralling towards burnout...

Show yourself some respect:
Eat well
Exercise
Sleep well
Take breaks…

This shows self-awareness and discipline.

Ok, I admit it; I've got one eye on the weekend…

I'm thinking about what I'll do to protect my wellbeing over the next few days when I have more control over my time...

This weekend I'll be:
Eating out with friends
Spending quality time with family
Playing squash and doing a gym workout
Spending some quiet time reading my kindle

Everyone else seems to be crushing it…

Those engineers you think are "crushing it" may still need your support.

Just because you think they are crushing it, doesn’t mean they are coping.

Excellent performance doesn’t mean an absence of:
 Stress
 Self-doubt
Burnout.

They probably don’t feel like they are crushing it…

The best way to build confidence in your solution…

…Is to get early feedback.

Discuss your ideas before implementing them.
Get someone to eyeball your solution as early as possible.
Deploy something and let people have a play as soon as you can.

Too often, I've found myself tucked away working on a feature, going deeper and deeper down that rabbit hole...

"10 things that helped me advance my career" will be Thijs Feryn's talk at phpday25.

#phpday25 #PHP #career #mindset #communication

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phpday - 22nd edition
The annual gathering for developers, professionals, and PHP enthusiasts.
The conference is powered by @grusp
Verona (Italy) | May 15-16, 2025
Tickets https://bit.ly/41J6UP3

In software engineering, we are often encouraged to think about our contribution...

What did " I " do yesterday...?
What am " I " doing today...?

The language we use, both inwardly and outwardly, sets the tone for how we work and interact with others…

Software engineering is a team game; our language should reflect that…

The obvious:
What did "the team" do yesterday?
#developers #coding #softwaredevelopment #softwareengineering #wellbeing #mindset #mentalhealth

Do you give pull requests and code reviews the time they deserve…?

 They can be difficult to juggle when you’ve got your own work to do…
 Which can lead to them not getting the attention they deserve…
 Which can lead to poor code or, worse, poor communication…

Performing effective code reviews is an underrated skill…

It's not just about the code…