Top 8 Programmer Hobbies
Check out the top 8 programmer hobbies according to a recent survey, along with some great resources on how to get started with each hobby yourself! By Felipe Laso-Marsetti.
How to Get Started
Check out the following reading list that is probably as far away from programming as you’re likely to get:
Practical First Steps
Find a book you like, whether it’s science fiction, a biography or a novel, and and start by reading a chapter a day.
3) Video Games
52.6% of survey respondents had this as a favorite activity. Experience relaxation through fragging your friends. :]
Why Do it?
Heroes of the Storm, a popular game by Blizzard.
Heroes of the Storm, a popular game by Blizzard.
Ah, video games. My undisputed favorite hobby and activity apart from programming. Video games are such a fantastic way to relax and immerse yourself in virtual worlds that let you make your dreams come true. Regardless of the day’s weather or how close your friends live, you can enjoy video games whenever, often wherever, you want!
Video games can also be a great learning tool. I count some puzzle games including TIS100 or Human Resource Machine among my favorite on iOS at the moment, as they help exercise the mind of a programmer.
Human Resource Machine video game.
Human Resource Machine video game.
Video games are such an important aspect of my life that I even had a Zelda-themed wedding, with a painted cake, souvenirs, cookies, and in-game music as my wife walked down the aisle.
Zelda-themed wedding cake for our Zelda-themed wedding.
Zelda-themed wedding cake for our Zelda-themed wedding.
People often think you need to be super-skilled to play video games, and truthfully, you need a bit of dexterity to play Counter Strike or Overwatch. But what about Sudoku 3D, a retro Mario game, online chess, or Angry Birds?
There is a video game out there to suit almost everyone on the planet. If you like cars in real life, chances are you will enjoy racing games. Into football? Yup, there’s a few games about that. Many video games have fantastic storylines and character arcs that span multiple releases, and even have spin-off books and comics. It’s like opening Pandora’s box!
What are you waiting for? If you’re a developer, it’s almost guaranteed you have a mobile device or computer you can play video games on. All that’s left to do is figure out what games you like and find what platforms they’re available on.
How to Get Started
Here are some great ways to get started with video games:
- Steam: Games galore — check out their sales
- League of Legends: Join the fray and slay dragons — or whatever is in your path
- Hearthstone: Fast-paced card strategy game
Practical First Steps
There are great free games like Team Fortress, League of Legends or Hearthstone that you can get started with. If these are too daunting, you can always start simpler with some fantastic iOS games on this list here.
2) Sports and Exercise
57.9% of survey respondents listed sports and exercise as a hobby. Are you all warmed up and ready to hit the field? Great! :]
Why Do It?
We often associate sports and exercise with looking good or losing weight, but there are tons of benefits beyond these two. Let me share my own story.
Ever since I can remember, I have dealt with anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Trust me, it’s not something I wish upon anyone! I was always told by my my psychologist, doctors, and peers that I should try exercising as it would help me relax, reduce my anxiety when it triggers and make future episodes less intense.
I tried going to a gym; I tried walking, yoga, and swimming but none of those were a good fit for me. I felt quite isolated going to a gym, putting on a pair of headphones and getting on a treadmill. It was also SUPER boring.
Last year, I found a dojo near my house and started doing martial arts. My goal wasn’t to become Mr. Miyagi and judo chop everything in sight! I just wanted to remain fit, meet new people, get out of the house a few days a week and get some exercise to help with my anxiety.
The difference between then and now is like night and day! Not only would I go to a class with extreme anxiety and return much more relaxed (or even completely forgetting about the initial issue), but I would sleep better, feel better and come away with a sense of reward about learning something new or pulling off something I was struggling with in previous classes.
Martial arts worked for me, as had dance lessons before that, but you should definitely try something that interests you. What about rock climbing, running, archery, golf, basketball, soccer, baseball, volleyball, swimming, yoga, pilates, and SO much more that I’m probably forgetting about right now?
Ballroom dancing on our wedding day.
Ballroom dancing on our wedding day.
Remember you don’t need to have anxiety or depression to try exercise. You will realize lots of other benefits; from the endorphins your body produces, improved sleep, being fitter, and having a sense of well being and accomplishment. You may even shed that extra weight you have been wanting to get rid of for many years. ;]
How to Get Started
There are some great online resources to get you started in fitness:
- Runkeeper: Track your runs on your phone!
- Best iOS Exercise apps from PC Mag: A great list of more apps to get you to stop crushing candy and get moving
- CrossFit: Group-based workouts if you want some external motivation
- Just Dance: An interactive dance app
- Wii Fit: The classic Wii game that makes exercise fun
- Zumba: The shimmying, shaking Latin exercise phemonenon