5 Hobbies of programmers that improve their coding skills

How can you become an expert in your field? Being the best at something is not achieved by practicing your skill for 2-3 hours every day. It might help you become excellent at it, but not the best. Becoming the best requires you to modify your lifestyle—every activity you indulge in should, directly or indirectly, enhance your skill and make you better at it. Here are 5 top hobbies that programmers have which help them improve their coding skills.

1. Making schedules and sticking to them

Programmers face tough deadlines and work in a competitive market. To reach their full potential, they learn to manage their time effectively. The best way to learn this skill is by making schedules and religiously following them. Plans demand you to document your time and hobbies, which helps you keep a better check on yourself to ensure you do not waste time and indulge in productive activities.

2. Playing programming games

Being a programmer and learning how to code requires you to solve complex problems by simplifying them. The easiest way of simplifying a problem is by reducing its scale and looking at it differently. Programming games like Minecraft help you build a problem-solving mindset and get you in the habit of writing codes. Such games also help build interest in the programming field for many people. It makes writing codes fun and helps you see your potential.

3. Practicing their learning

Having a hobby of practicing whatever you learn is vital regardless of whether you want to learn coding or not. A smart student internalizes his classroom lessons by revising and practicing concepts outside class. Doing so is bound to make you thorough in your skills. You can practice a hobby by fitting it into your schedule and making it fun. For example, revise your coding concepts while you are on the train for your football or tennis training. Use highlighters and markers to make your learning fun and interactive.

4. Reading and understanding different solutions.

Reading is a vital hobby if you want to learn to code. You might think: coding is practice; what does it have to do with reading? Reading books on coding helps you expand your thought process. When you think broadly, your problem-solving skills become better, and it reflects in the way you write and execute your codes.

5. Teaching

If you want to become a better programmer, get in the habit of teaching. This hobby does not require you to be an academic or consider teaching as a career. You can teach your peers the same concept you study in class during a group study, or you can sit your little siblings down and explain to them the core concepts of coding in a fun and simple way. Doing so will not only give you more chances to practice your learning, but it will also give you clarity in your concepts, both of which will help you become a better programmer.