The beauty of programming is that anyone can do it. That means you won’t need a super-powerful PC or anything else you’d have to pay for in order to start your journey with coding. Still, there are some things that greatly improve your work, whether by making you accomplish your tasks faster or by making the whole process much more enjoyable.

And while I’m not a proponent of spending money on something you’ve just started doing, if it’s been some time and you’re sure you like it, you might want to consider investing in the things I mention here. While many people think about spending money when they hear the word ‘investing’, in this article, I’ll talk about investing your time as well.

Knowledge

This one is a no brainer. No matter how advanced you are, there’s still going to be something you can (and probably should) learn. Your possibilities here are endless. You’ll be inevitably investing your time in the process of acquiring knowledge. Financial investment is not required here, though, as you can easily find useful information on the Internet without spending a dime.

Whether you decide to enroll in an online course, boot camp, or buy a book, knowledge is something you should never stop investing in, no matter what career path you’ve chosen.

Second monitor

It’s of little importance what kind of programming you do as 99% of the time it will greatly improve your workflow. The first time I experimented with the second monitor was when I got a laptop and decided to use it with the monitor I previously used solely for my PC just to see what it’s like. I can only say that it turned out to be a game-changer for me, and now whenever I find myself being unable to use the extra monitor, I feel like I’m lacking something.

Standing desk

While you probably don’t feel like you have any health problems, your back will thank you for that purchase when you get older. Spine problems are very much like smoking. You can smoke one back a day, and there’s going to be some time before you actually start feeling it. Similarly, sitting for over 8 hours a day might feel fine now, but that can change with time.

Many employers have started offering those desks as an alternative to regular ones at their offices. If that’s not the case with you, maybe at least consider buying one for your home office.

Health

Yes, I do realize how cliché it sounds. Nonetheless, many people seem to neglect it despite all the buzz. It’s not even limited to programming only as more and more people nowadays find themselves working what you would call ‘sitting jobs’. Therefore, it’s crucial to get some exercise. Whether it’s at a gym or your home doesn’t really matter. Just move away from your desk for some time,

Sleep is equally important. Pay attention to your sleeping habits, and make sure you get at least some 8 hours of sleep a day. The numbers here vary from person to person, though, so you’re most likely the one who knows the best what they need the most. Just listen to your body and give it what it needs.

The bottom line

Let me reiterate one thing: those (well, maybe apart from the health-related ones) are all optional! You don’t need to spend extra money to become good at programming as well as at many other things. There are so many factors that matter so much more. Paid advancements may end up giving you around 10% of what you really need. The rest is gained by dedication and time put in.

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