Although you may picture a confident and knowledgeable nerd behind a computer screen, there are many challenges programmers face including a constant need to learn and pressure from both our society and the industry itself, not to mention common misconceptions.
As programmers, we’ve become accustomed to doing what it takes to overcome the odds that lie ahead to solve problems. It all begins with the lack of a formal web education and the anxiety that comes along with making sure we’re “doing it right.”
Let’s be real. Most formal web education at the university level is still stuck in the 90’s. It’s so outdated that most developers nowadays are almost entirely self-taught. Teaching oneself is a great option in regards to flexibility of schedule and in keeping up with modern technology, but what about those who want to attend a university to receive training in all things programming?
In some fields, textbooks haven’t changed in over 20 years, and yet the information in them is still relevant. Because of so few changes to the material, professionals in those fields are put at ease. However, this is not the case in the world of coding.
Web technology from the 90's is vastly different from that of the 2000’s; 2000’s web technology is different from the 2010’s, and 2015’s is different from 2016. New protocols, platforms and languages are updated yearly and have come to be expected by those in the industry.
Not only has the technology changed, but also the devices on which it is displayed. The growth of technology has moved from designing for an 800x600 desktop monitor to developing for phones, tablets, watches, etc. of all sizes and screen resolutions. The endless possibilities of interactive devices mean continuous education to take advantage of their features.
Part of winning the battle resides in knowing what matters to you and by keeping up with best practices for your particular skill set. Yearly trends come and go, but a solid foundation in your core languages has longevity.
Because of the high rate at which things change in this field, many developers sacrifice sleep and overall mental health to try to keep up with the latest and greatest. There’s a reason our society has been deemed as a workaholic culture. It’s even considered a "badge of honor" when a programmer works through the night without sleep to achieve a task.
Some struggle to turn off the programmer switch, and I’m speaking here from personal experience. If I’m casually surfing the web and come across a site or app that does something out of the ordinary, I stop what I’m doing to inspect the source code. Then before you know it, I’ve spent hours in work mode, prompted by the new found inspiration I stumbled upon.
The irony of trying to keep up with change for the web is that you can’t keep up with everything. It’s impossible. It is a necessity to set and stick to boundaries in order to maintain mental and physical well-being.
Remember, take care of your mind and body. At the end of the day, we’re just making web apps/sites. Don’t put any unnecessary pressure on yourself. This is a marathon, not a sprint; so try to get a little better every day.