I’ve heard it said by other (older and more experienced programmers) that after a few years a majority of programmers end up becoming quirky in some way or the other. It’s supposed to be a phenomenon of sorts. Today I am at home working on my new project and I am desperately looking for a diary and pen. I just realized that’s my odd programming quirk. I have a compelling need to make a list and write down exactly what my micro-goal is before I can start programming.
Every morning when I get to the office I go to a new page in my notebook, put down the date and make a serialized list of all the programming objectives I want to achieve in the day. Then as I finish each I tick them off. Most days I am not able to finish all the items in the list, but the days I am, I feel high. If I run out in the middle of the day like I did today, I have to note down the fresh item before I can start working on it. Mind you it has to be on a notebook with a pen and not on the computer. I’ve tried to keep lists on the computer and never succeeded.
I guess it must have started as an organizing habit with me trying to set goals for the day. I don’t know when it became a compulsion.
So I ran out of the things I want to do this evening at office and at home I have to look at my project and decide what I want to do next. I find myself hunting for a pen and a notebook and suddenly I realize that it doesn’t make any sense. So I tried to start programming without noting down and I just can’t begin. I can’t decide what I want to work on now. I’ve been meandering around my UI and code for 20 minutes taking out time to check mail and a couple of websites in the middle. And now I am writing this post just so I can put in black-and-white what my compulsion is so that I will know and try to correct it. I will make an attempt later.
Right now I need to find a pen and a notebook so that I can get it down and start working.
