Learn a new programming language or framework. Create a hobby project on it. It may bring back the fun of coding rather than coding because its your job.
Do something else! I find that the more you deviate from the coding mindset, the more you find a need to get back to it. Push coding away until you find yourself passionate enough about something that it draws you back.
One idea is to try to focus the things you once thought were fun. If you are a developer try some recreational coding. Just build something fun.
This is a bit of a plug but checkout Jamis Buck. I interviewed him about burn out and I learned a lot. It can be a slow process to rekindle things after burn out so give yourself time.
You're probably just tired. You can pick up a new hobby, but that won't make you interested in code again (possibly the opposite). Just take a break and come back to code when you're inspired to do something with it.
I don't code for fun anymore. I haven't for a couple years. Honestly, it all just takes too much time. I enjoy writing code for work; but, at home, I work out, I play video games, I spend time with friends and go on hikes.
I think it's okay for you to not be interested in doing side projects anymore, there's a lot more to life and the world than programming; and, if your heart wants to venture outside of it, then let it! You might find another, wonderful passion :)
Well, do you like writing code? It's a simple question but one that isn't easily answered.
Take a vacation, and think it over, if you were able to do any 'job' in the world, would you still pick writing code?
Does making things still appeal to you or would you rather be out doing event production or be a talk show host of some sort?
If the answer is still yes, you just need to get back into the groove and unplugging for a while on that vacation will help.
Other than that, I agree with @bkbleikamp up there -- start slow, don't force yourself to complete that cool idea you have in a day. Write it up and break it down into tasks, do 1 task a day and then go get drunk. Rinse and repeat. :-)
Unsurprisingly this will be an anecdotal advice but here goes: Find a new job that nobody expects you to code. I know, it sounds hard - especially if your whole career is dedicated to one thing - but you probably have picked up other skills as you are doing your job.
The thing is I began this thing as a wonderful skill to build new things. I was coding in C64 when I was 8-9 years old. But we lose our "mojo" as it turns into a humdrum everyday job where we know our limits. Add in the business related constraints, you slowly begin to develop a toxic relationship. And like any toxic relationship, ending it is better in the long run for your mental health. It was for me.
Taking a long vacay doesn't work if you implicitly know that you will return to the same routine by the way.
Hope it helps.
Edit:
Currently working as a general IT troubleshooter guy who is also doing some coding in his spare time.
Agreed. I couldn't program as a hobby when I was a software engineer. So what I did was simply to change my job. I moved into more business-y consulting, and regained my interest in programming almost immediately!
I you love coding you won't stop at your time off. When your motivation is off, your side-projects are not fun anymore. Maybe try a new technology stack which is more fun.
I usually either start a new hobby or go back to one I haven't worked on in a while. I find that eventually my interest in coding returns and I slowly ease back in. Doing this I find it preserves enough drive to still be good at my day job.
I'm a relatively new programmer, but I've felt the way you have at least a little. Work just drained the enjoyment out of programming. What helped me is to get back to my side projects BUT to start really small. Pick a small project, even just a day or weekend build. For me, that sense of accomplishment, even though so many other people have made so much more amazing stuff than me, it made remember why I love programming. And when I start to get bored, I just force myself to watch a tutorial or two or add one small feature, and I get reminded again.
Of course, it could be you need to find a completely different hobby to fulfil you. Only you can say what position you're in, whether you just need to reignite your passion for programming or whether it's gone for good.
Depends on what you get out of programming, but here's some suggestions:
* Re-create one of your favorite websites or apps
* Create games, these can be as simple or as complicated as you like, and might be a re-creation of a classic (Tetris, Solitaire) or something from a relatively well-trodden genre (visual novels with Ren'py, idle games à la cookie clicker, text adventure games) or something all-new
* Corollary for the above, participate in game jams
* Contribute to open source projects
* Create interesting toys or demos (fractal rendering/zooming, "single-div" CSS demos, fun-looking pixel blotting with SDL or JS canvas, generative art)
* Try your hand at programming microcontrollers for automation, robotics, building keyboard or other peripherals
* Write scripts to automate away boring work, either at home or for your job. You might be surprised how much time/energy you can save by stringing together some python or building some IFTT/Zapier workflows. Automate the Boring Stuff with Python could be a good starting point here.
There are other ideas, but the most important thing is to pick something you find enjoyable, and don't be ashamed to drop a project when it ceases to be interesting.
Some of the most long-lived hobby projects are sustained by just one or two hour nightly sessions, or by weekend hacking.
That doesn’t sound like you’re falling out of love with programming. It sounds like you’re frustrated with the red tape at work.
Try working on something fun on the side. Make a game, or a mobile app, or something you’ve always been curious about that doesn’t have anything to do with your job. You might be amazed by how productive you feel when you work on something ambitious that doesn’t involve all of the corporate machinery.
I’ve been getting a nice dose of that with game development. Sometimes I sit down on a Saturday with a big plan that should last me through the weekend, and I get it done before dinner that evening, and I feel like some kind of programming wizard. It’s been a great reminder that I am a talented programmer, but I’m just feeling burned out on all of the tedious process that’s involved when coding professionally.
Anything you do for work eventually wears out and becomes "just work". That's why it's called "work".
Hobby coders can escape into the unrestricted world of building stuff without limits to satisfy their imagination and curiosity. They can also change hobbies and increase or decrease the amount of time they want to spend on coding to stay in the sweet zone.
Paid coders can only carve out little, temporary nooks of freedom within the requirements and demands that come from somewhere that is external. In the best case they can dictate how things shall be built but the "what" part generally comes as given: from the boss, from the CTO, from the company strategy, from the customers if you're an entrepreneur coder.
If it takes 15 years to get bored with coding I can think of a number of professions where it would only take 1.5 months to get bored. Boredom doesn't equal all is lost. It's just a sign to work on something else for a while.
I've recovered the excitement of coding several times, sometimes through hobby coding and something through talking my way into some interesting work project. But your interest needs to spend some time elsewhere before you can find it again in coding.
Try testing, interfacing customers, managing, or change jobs. If you can, try a job that's not in IT to get some perspective. This should be considered an ongoing process anyway as you will be constantly rethinking your place in life anyway. The process might lead away from coding or getting back stronger than ever, but the goal is to find something that makes you tick again. How all that realises itself in practical work life is mostly secondary.
First things first: A vacation will almost certainly help.
After that, try learning something outside your normal programming repertoire, ideally very different from what you do at work. A new language (I suggest OCaml or Smalltalk, either should have plenty of new ideas to get you inspired), or program category (OpenGL graphics? Interpreters for tiny languages? Games?), etc. Do something new and fun.
You aren't bored from coding. You're bored from what you are (or aren't) making with code. You're not seeing accomplishments from the time you're investing, so your brain is moving on. I'm the same way.
You need to find a project that lights your fire. Code is just a tool, and it alone will not keep you going. I don't know anyone who likes to code for the sake of writing code. Find something that you can use your tools on that are exciting to you. Find purpose.
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