Building an Optimal Software Development Environment - Part 2: Mental, Physical, and Soulful Wellbeing

Ensure your mind and body and spirit are in the right state to perform

You will not perform at your best if your mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing are compromised. Active, purposeful management of them unlocks your true potential through their interlinking. We’ve covered how to setup your office for the ideal working environment to make you more efficient work and now we are going to cover how to make you the best version of yourself.

Physical Management

If you’ve ever been sick as an adult you know you’ve said the following, ”I would do anything to be healthy again”. Inside this statement rings the true inner feelings of what a gift it is to be fully healthy and able bodied person. But why do we tolerate good enough healthiness, and not perfect health? I’m absolutely not innocent in this area and I know other people are not either. Even recovering from sickness at 80% health, you are not at the same capabilities you have at full health!

In fact I’d argue the average person isn’t even 80% healthy on average. With the general population being overweight and more office workers constantly inside their house all day it’s not a surprise people are neglecting their physical wellness. I didn’t take it seriously either in my early 20s and felt like garbage every day. Overweight, not attractive, drinking often, no dating game, even a slight limp while walking due to tight hips and back, just aimlessly going through life. But once I discovered there is so much more to life I got serious and am now healthier in my late 20s than as a younger 20 year old! It’s amazing how the consistent application of apathy towards your health can hurt you even when you are relatively young. Imagine if you were consistant in the other direction how healthy you would be!

So what did I do to turn my physical health around? I tried intermittent fasting and cardio and it worked to get the weight off, but I was still “skinny fat”. It was a half measure. I got word back from my doctor that my blood test results were not great, elevated liver enzymes, non optimal cholesterol, and high triglycerides. I didn’t do much after, but I did get lucky from following

BowTied Bull

(WSP) and thankfully

BowTiedOx

‘s publication came around and changed everything for me.

3 Day A Week Upper/Lower Split By BowTiedOx

I decided to embark on his 3 day a week full body workout plan and commit myself to lifting weights and the rewards have been continuous to this day. I studied and implemented to the program, ate better, and tried more walking and cardio. I turned in the cleanest bill of health from my doctor the next time I saw him a year later and felt more alive than I’ve ever felt. If I had to point out the single most important moment in my life the last 5 years it was that first time in the Gym trying to figure out all the lifts I needed to do from Ox’s program. If you don’t have that zeal for life everyday something is almost certainly wrong and you need to make major changes.

When I say this changed everything, it really did. I had a moment about 6+ months after lifting when I visibly saw some significant muscle growth and did a double take in the mirror and knew I was on the right path. I kept at the program and everything else in my life suddenly aligned with purpose. My confidence and execution level in everything exploded and suddenly me, a quiet introvert, was growing more strong willed and charismatic than ever. I’m not going to go on about my personal story but I want to drill the point home that being healthy is almost a drug in itself and it creates strength and confidence everywhere else in your life. You will see exceptional gains in life going this route.

The direct rewards are also tangible toward my career, with programmer specific issues like “Imposter Syndrome” going away completely, and multiple raises and promotions happening within this period. Public speaking became much easier and I knew I could accomplish whatever was thrown at me. It gave me the confidence to go out to the marketplace and get an even better job with superior pay all while working remote. I also non-coincidently earned my first wifi money during this period. I believe moments of self actualization like this combo well with other endeavors. Don’t be surprised when you’re in the thick of the lifting program you want to make more money outside work.

Not only do you get the physical benefits of strength and longer lifespan, but you gain the ability of immense confidence in your skill set and know you can go toe to toe with anyone out there. I can’t imagine how life would be if I didn’t do this, but it would be too depressing to even try to imagine.

Physical Optimization

Now that we’ve covered the idea of actually being physically fit and in shape, we can cover more specific optimization for the software worker.