For years now people in technology have been part of some seriously amazing movements in the software industry. To reach these great heights of innovation developers have always accepted that sacrifices have to be made. Often times the unspoken mindset was that you work until the task is done or that more hours often meant more code (good or bad). The idea has traditionally been that if we focus on the tasks and work we will inevitably achieve our goals and everyone will be happy. Most of us can remember working some really long weeks and hitting the "goal" but not feeling very happy. Here's a challenge for all developers who can relate to the above scenario: Go for work-life awesome not work life balance. There is no such thing as "work-life balance" or at least the phrase implies something that cannot be; balance assumes equality on both sides. The fact is that work and life are not faucets we can turn off and walk away from, so instead of becoming frustrated at trying to compartmentalize we should try to make these aspects of our lives more congruent. Work should fit into our lives not go against it - more like velcro and less like sandpaper. This talk will disprove some common developer work-life myths then work to equip you as a developer, manager and/or all around geek to be able solve you're own personal conundrum of how win at life and work, how to create amazing things no matter where you are and to be able to successfully do the things that make your inner nerd tick with your friends and family.

1. Performance tuning your
life to maximize awesome
NICK FLOYD
FRIDAY OCTOBER 25TH 2:30PM

2. Refactoring
var currentWorkLife = "behaviors that destroy the balance";

3. Refactoring
var currentWorkLife = "behaviors that destroy the balance";
var newWorkLife = currentWorkLife.Replace(“destroy”, “build”);

4. Refactoring
var currentWorkLife = "behaviors that destroy the balance";
var newWorkLife = currentWorkLife.Replace(“destroy”, “build”);
=> behaviors that build the balance

5. Behaviors : the dark side

6. Behavior : more working == more winning!
x
x = Time spent working
image courtesy of : http://ashpodtheportalfur.deviantart.com

7. Behavior : more work == more win!
x
x = Time spent working
image courtesy of : http://ashpodtheportalfur.deviantart.com

8. Behavior : gold plating
The Infinite
ZIPLINE

9. Behavior : gold plating
The Infinite
PLAN

10. Behavior : gold plating
Spoon boy: “Do not try and bend the zipline.
That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth.”
Neo: “What truth?”
Spoon boy: “There is no zipline.”
-The Matrix
ZIPLINE == null

11. Behavior : compartmentalizing
image courtesy of : http://ooklah.deviantart.com

12. Behavior : being an impostor

13. Behavior
many, many more...

14. Build : the light side

15. Nerd’s hierarchy of needs
mind
environment
health

16. Acting like someone
I’m NOT
health

17. Being someone
I AM
health

18. Clean your desk
TOP
environment

19. (Apps)olute zero
Device wipe
environment

20. Enablers and accountability
environment

21. environment

22. Scrum board your day
mind

23. Work in achievable chunks & bits
mind

24. BAD:
GOOD:
mind

25. Stop ideas
Start projects
“There be the dragons, I can’t go.”
“Sure you can, just bring a resistor color code chart.”
-- me having a conversation with myself
images courtesy of: xkcd.com
mind

26. The Choice

27. images courtesy of: Alamy

28. images courtesy of: wikipedia

29. images courtesy of: gracehopper.org

30. images courtesy of: voxelblog

31. images courtesy of: f-secure

32. mediocrity.pop
exceptional.push

33. The Functional
24MI

34. I love to...
code
work on hard problems
help others win
make a difference in a kid’s life
automate all the things
create useable software

35. Welcome to the Hall of Heroes

36. Thanks
archcoder.com/nerd-life
@nickfloyd

37. Resources : books

38. Resources : apps
Epic win
Triage
Rescue Time
Clear
Sleep cycle