It happens in every developer's life: the company grows, and suddenly you find yourself taking on more and more responsibility. Then comes the day when the company formalizes the role change, and you are officially detached from day-to-day development.
Let’s be honest: this detachment is usually painful, or at the very least, difficult. Why? Because building an environment where you can delegate easily is incredibly hard.
The Delegation Dilemma
As we all know, delegation requires two fundamental pillars: Trust and Competence (on both sides).
It’s rare for this dynamic to click instantly. It’s hard for a team to be ready on day one, and sometimes there simply isn't a team prepared to take over the workload of the person who just became the Team Leader or Department Head.
The leap is massive. If you were previously managing, say, 10 tasks with some effort, while having to learn entirely new people management skills,you also need to find a way to keep track of not 10, but maybe 50 tasks or more—even if you aren't the one doing the heavy lifting anymore (not to mention planning, reporting etc.)
The "Hobbyist" DNA
I feel most developers aren't born in a corporate office; we are born out of a hobby. It starts with a passion, a late-night project, or the simple desire to see something work. For those who choose to make it a profession, that "hobbyist spirit" I believe remains the core of who we are.
When transitioning into other roles, we might start looking for a safety valve. It’s almost a survival instinct for me: diving into personal projects at night just to feel the satisfaction of a successful build or to study new technologies that keep my technical edge sharp.
The Cost of the Safety Valve
While this feels like a breath of fresh air, it comes with a hidden price tag. Personally, I don't feel "guilty" for coding late at night—it’s where I find my flow again. But I do feel the physical toll.
- The Sleep Debt: Staying up late means starting the next day’s meetings on a deficit.
- The Impact on Health: Passion can be a double-edged sword. If you don't keep it in check, it wears you down.
- Family and Presence: While your brain is chasing a bug in a side project, you risk being "absent" even when you are physically there with your loved ones.
Finding the Balance
The challenge lies in finding a sustainable balance between team support, follow-ups, and that "itch" to code.
As much as we love this craft, we have to remember that we are not machines. The transition to leadership isn't just about learning to delegate work to a team; we need to invest in ourselves, both in our skills and our health.
We need to ensure our passion doesn't come at the expense of our health or our families. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
This Balance, for me, it's the most difficult part.
AI: a lifeline for personal projects?
I’m not here to be an "AI advocate," but I have to admit that the rise of AI tools has changed the game for my personal projects.
Before, I used to abandon so many ideas halfway through because they required too much "grunt work"—low-level, repetitive tasks that would eat up my few free hours. Eventually, the friction would kill the enthusiasm.
Now, I can focus on the "Why" and the architecture, while the AI helps with the boilerplate. I’m actually finishing things. Paradoxically, AI is helping me preserve my identity as a developer; it’s the bridge that allows me to stay technical and creative without letting the low-level grind burn me out after a long day of meetings.
How do you balance your "Hobbyist DNA" with the exhaustion of a management role? Do you use AI to keep your personal projects alive, or have you found another way? I'd be glad to share stories
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