Stop Customizing, More Working
Published at Aug 3, 2023
Table of Contents
- Making the Dream Development Environment
- Excessive Customization: Procrastination in Disguise
- Burnout
- Conclusion
Making the Dream Development Environment
Recently, I’ve heard personalities like The Primagen discussing a somewhat controversial topic: modifying your development environment. My perspective on this has shifted. I used to be mesmerized watching my favorite developers work within beautiful environments like VS Code or Neovim. But after witnessing Chris Titus craft his desktop into a minimalistic masterpiece, I was captivated and took the plunge myself by installing Arch on an extra SSD.
The journey was enlightening but also a significant time investment. I learned a great deal about Linux and its foundations. However, in retrospect, I feel that my time could have been spent on more beneficial pursuits. I ended up with a Linux system that was fun to show off and looked cool, but eventually, it broke down. I found myself jumping from one thing to another, ultimately just wasting time.
Click here to view Chris Titus' blog post on his perfect system Excessive Customization: Procrastination in Disguise
I must confess, I have a tendency to procrastinate. I once believed that customization was merely “tinkering,” and that it somehow justified my procrastination. But more often than not, I derived little value from endlessly tweaking configurations. Sometimes, I realize, I’m better off working with a tool in its stock form. Once I’ve built something with it and understand its usefulness, then I might invest some time in customizing.
Burnout
Personally, I found that constant customization led me away from creating anything substantial. I regret not focusing on real projects. I became caught in an endless loop of fine-tuning and lost sight of what truly mattered. Whether it was designing a blog, working on leetcode, or building a new project, these were the areas where I could have been more productive. Instead, I found myself burnt out and stalled in my creativity. Momentum is vital, and maintaining it by engaging in constructive and meaningful work is even more crucial.
Conclusion
In the world of software development, the allure of crafting the perfect environment can be enticing. The lessons I’ve learned from this experience speak volumes about the importance of balance. While customization can be a fulfilling and creative endeavor, it’s essential to recognize when it crosses the line into procrastination and impedes real progress. Finding the equilibrium between personalizing your workspace and focusing on meaningful projects is key to a fulfilling and productive coding journey. Let’s keep our eyes on what truly matters and not lose ourselves in the endless maze of modification.