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Ask HN: How to set healthy barriers with side projects

by sailorganymede on 7/2/24, 4:21 PM with 2 comments

Hi HN! I worked super hard on my side project that hasn’t work out yet but I’ve had to sacrifice a lot of relaxation time and I’m kind of sitting here thinking: can I approach this better? So my question is: how do you set healthy barriers with you and your side projects .

  • by Zambyte on 7/2/24, 4:34 PM

    What is the goal of your side project? It sounds like your goal is to make it your primary focus eventually when you say it "hasn't worked out yet", but there are other reasons for side projects also: to scratch a personal itch to build something you simply want to have, to learn how to use the tools you use to build the project, simply for the joy of programming...

    It's hard to say without an explicit goal. The most obvious general answer is: work on it when you feel like working on it, and don't when you don't. If you want to make it your primary focus, you have to consider: when do you want it to be your primary focus by? How much effort would it take to get the project to a state that it would be viable as your primary focus? How much time do you have to allocate to the project to reach that total effort before the time you want it to be your primary focus by? How long will you be able to enjoy this project being your primary focus, compared to how much time you spent not relaxing and enjoying your personal time? Will you even enjoy it if you can make it your primary focus, if you don't enjoy working on it in your free time now?

    These are all questions you must answer for yourself in order to figure out how to set boundaries in a healthy way.

  • by richrichie on 7/2/24, 4:30 PM

    Why isn't your side project the main project?