Keep Calm and Start Coding

The number of people switching to the remote work format is increasing every year. In 2020, when the world faced Covid-19, more than 70% of Americans had to work from home. Besides, more than half of them would like to continue working outside the office.

Unfortunately, this is not possible in every field. For example, doctors, civil servants, service personnel still have to work offline on a full or part-time basis. However, in some industries, such as IT, remote work has become the most common. It caused a sharp increase in demand for training courses in programming. There are more and more employees in this field, that is why many people are afraid of trying themselves in IT. How to stop worrying and start coding?

Keep calm and code

Stan graduated from medical school five years ago. Like most young people, he worked in the specialty for several years.

Last year, Stan decided to retire from medicine. `To be honest, I was thinking about it even earlier,` Stan says. `I have never had time to stop and think about my future. I am the only breadwinner in the family, and I cannot make serious decisions on my own. A couple of years ago, I met some friends who did coding, and I liked it! I worked for another couple of years as a medical brother until I was completely burned out. Frankly, I even did not want to go on a shift! My friends advised me to quit and start coding. My whole family is doctors, so leaving medicine for IT was truly a betrayal! What is more, there were so many specialists in this field, I was already 25, and I had no idea where to start.`

Many people are familiar with the fear of the unknown. Often, we are afraid of stepping out of our comfort zone and trying something new. That applies both to the try of new chocolate bars and the change in the field of activity. But who says you cannot do it? How to get started with coding and eliminate code fear?

• Relax

The main step on the way to learning programming is peace of mind. Stop thinking about your age, the number of employees in this field, and your abilities. First, you can start coding at any age. Secondly, the IT sector is not threatened with a glut of specialists. Third, despite a large number of employees, not all of them are professionals in their field. You can start coding at 50 and immediately take a high position in the company!

• Analyze the market

Get acquainted with the field of activity, as well as the job market. Decide for yourself who you would like to become and what you need to do to reach your goal. In programming, there are more than 700 programming languages! Determine for yourself which one you would like to learn. Nowadays, the most popular languages are Java, Python, C++, C, and JavaScript.

• Prepare a training plan

Studying at school, college, or university is much easier than on your own. At an educational facility, you have a program, a schedule of classes, and homework with specific deadlines. When you learn something independently, you are forced to set yourself tasks and terms for their implementation. We recommend that you first choose a time frame for the beginning and end of training. Thanks to this, you can schedule goals and tasks for each month, week, and day. Needless to say, it is your responsibility to monitor compliance with this schedule.

• Meet the programmers

Learning together is always more interesting! It is an additional motivation that does not allow you to shirk. Start coding with someone else, and you will see your productivity grow. Agree with a friend that you will share your progress at the end of the day. It will not allow you to lie down on the sofa and drink your fifth cup of tea!

• Do not be afraid to give up

The advantage of self-study is that you can stop doing it at any time. It is quite possible that while learning Python, you will suddenly realize that you do not like it. In that case, try Java! No one will scold you for trying something new for yourself. There is a chance that you will not like coding at all. No problem! Maybe you should try yourself in web design or copywriting for safe writing services?

The 3 tips for overcoming programming anxiety

So, you have ventured to start coding. What can go wrong? You can face soft engineer stress! It will follow you from task to task, from one deadline to the other. How to handle it?

• There is a time for everything

Keep in mind that at first, you may not succeed. It is especially true for those who came to IT from the humanities. But do not despair! Remember that mistakes and difficulties are natural.

• Plan your days off

Most people, who switch to remote work, experience overload. Unlike office work, where there is a clear normalized schedule, you organize your working day. Do not forget to take breaks, as well as full days off. Otherwise, you will experience burnout and nervous breakdowns.

• Feel free to ask questions

Everything will not be clear the first time, and this is also absolutely normal. If the independent search for the answers has not yielded results, do not be afraid to ask for help from more experienced colleagues.

Is software engineering stressful? Is being a software developer stressful? Sometimes, it is. Nevertheless, there is nothing scary in beginning coding! The IT sphere is waiting for anyone burning with coding and eager to develop his skills. To overcome the programming anxiety, you need to follow our advice and listen to yourself. Good luck!