Marking Off My ‘To-Do’ List
Coding Challenges, Writing Challenges
There is something particularly satisfying about marking things off your to-do list. This is especially true when it takes an extra special effort to get certain ones removed. For example, I have a Goodwill box sitting in the back of my car which has been there since we moved a year ago. Well, actually it lived in our living room for 6 months, then it was allocated to my trunk. I really should drop it off already. It is on my to-do list after all.
Before you brand me as lazy, let’s remember that I have a full-time job, I do freelance writing work, I’m always learning something new (both for me and to enhance my career), and I have a home with kids and a partner. So you can imagine what my lengthy to-do lists (yup, plural) consist of. It is all about prioritizing. And while I could bore you with talk of bills, taxes, my inability to drop off donations, and my upcoming oil change, I think I’ll just stick with the more interesting and productive tasks.
I’ve been making more of an effort to time-block my evenings and weekend schedule for my personal learning and enrichment. Usually, it is an hour or two for coding and/or writing. This time is dedicated to video or courseware learning, application, and related reading. For example, the other night, I FINALLY got around to one of my Free Code Camp Responsive Web Design Projects. I wanted to wait to start on the FCC certifications until after they updated their curriculum from the 3 to 6 + coding interview prep certification model, and of course have time to do it once they did. One down, four to go. Aiming to finish the rest sometime in the next couple of weeks. Then I will move along to Javascript Algorithms And Data Structures Certification. Gotta be honest with you, I’m not terribly excited for that one. JS is intimidating AF.
Alternately, I have a few writing-related courses I’ve enrolled in on Udemy. As I finish one, I move it (and any coding related courseware) into a completed folder in my browser favorites. Seeing the folder grow, and in turn, taking those items off my to-do list provides me with a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.
My goals, in terms of taking these writing courses and challenges, is to 1. write more often, more so for me (following a Scorching Case of Writer’s Block). And 2. improve the quality of my writing. While I’ve done research-heavy, healthcare related content work, it doesn’t fuel the creative bug nearly as much and dabbling with fiction or blogging. That’s the muscle I need to work. My inspiration, in the last few years, has been zilch.
Anyway, I have to run out to mail a clothing return that has been sitting in the corner of my bedroom for the last 3 months. Who says I don’t get stuff done? ;) Have an awesome, productive weekend all!
