Finish What You Start in Data Engineering
Tips on Productivity From a Data Engineer
Getting things done is all about strategy, and when you work with data, if you don’t have a strategy to get things done, you’ve already lost.
I detest multitasking, and content switching is a close second. Although, we somehow live in a world that’s set up to make us believe that juggling multiple things simultaneously is somehow “productive.” I’m here to tell you multitasking is a myth — it cannot be done.
You cannot do multiple things at the same time and expect them to be done with equal attention and quality. Multitasking is the easy street to dividing your focus and having a list longer than your arm, with a bunch of half-finished, half-hearted results. It’s like trying to be in two places at once — it’s not going to happen.
I’ve struggled with this for years. I always try to do too much and end up having three things on the go at the same time. Trying to be in this meeting and do that, promising this, promising that. It was anxiety-inducing.
When I landed my first job in tech, I worked with an old-school DBA who knew his sh*t. He always seemed to be on top of his game, never missed a deadline, never seemed stressed, and always delivered. When people used to swing by his desk with the classic “quick question,” he’d close his eyes, take a deep breath, slip off his glasses, and look the person dead in the eyes, saying, “Look, God was stingy; He only gave me two hands and twenty-four hours.”
I learned a ton about managing workloads and how to witness and observe the way you work from him. Now, I try to work “clean,” always looking for ways to work better. I’m not an expert, and I don’t always get it right, but here are some of my strategies for getting things done.
One in One Out
Like it says on the tin: one thing at a time. No more, no less, no exceptions. If you start one thing, you focus on that thing until it’s done or in a position to be shipped. None of this “I just need to document this task, so I’ll pick up the next one.” Nope.
You need to finish the first task. One in, one out. Remember, you may have three screens, but you only have two hands, and the first task needs all your focus to get it over the line.
Eye of the Tiger
The modern workplace is set up in such a way as to distract you. Emails coming in, meeting requests bombarding you, Slack pinging away, people milling about the office, non-stop white noise — all day long.
It’s surprising any of us get anything done. You need the ‘eye of the tiger’ discipline to accomplish tasks. You need to ignore interruptions or distractions so you can knock out your task.
How you do that is up to you. For me, it’s 20-minute chunks of focus time. I look at my calendar, spot the gaps, and aim for 20-minute chunks of focused time on tasks. If I can’t get it all done in 20 minutes, I find another 20 minutes later on and hit it again.
How do I focus? Knowing I have twenty minutes is my way of telling my mind to let go of all the ongoing distractions and focus. I don’t look at Slack, I turn off my phone, I close my door if I’m working from home, or put on my headphones if I’m at the office (I’m listening to nothing, in case you’re wondering). Then I get down to business.
Now, Not Tomorrow
Now, not later, not when the stars align — now. This is my mantra. Waiting for the ideal time to actually do something is procrastination at its very best. I’ve also seen data engineers waiting for permission to start or for someone to nudge them. Nike was onto something — just do it. The time is now.
You can start small if you want to, but you gotta start, even if you just make a list of all the steps you need to do. THAT is starting. Start as soon as possible. If you don’t, you’re clouding your mind and making it even harder to get going.
Find Extra Time
How do you find extra time? I’ve learned over the years that investing a small amount of extra time at the beginning of tasks (like making a list, talking to stakeholders, ironing out requirements) can save you massive amounts of time at the end.
It’s the old “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe” quote that people like to throw around all over social media, but the funny thing is, it’s true. Only, no one actually takes this advice. They dive headfirst into coding, spend hours, only to get stuck, and have to start again or, worse, cut corners.
If you want extra time, plan well and prioritize. It’s as simple as that.
Slow down, Keep going
I’ve learned over the years that most of the mistakes I’ve ever made in my career (and in life, for that matter) happened because I was going too fast.
Rushing to get things done, to solve a problem, or to finish a task.
Experience has taught me to slow down. Slow is now my main method of planning and doing. Slow means you can think. Slow means you can catch a problem early on. Slow is helpful if you don’t know how to do something; it gives you time to come up with a plan, to research, get help, or refine your approach.
How slow? Slower than you think. When you have experience, you can move at a speed that is cost-effective and error-free. If you’re new and starting out, slow should be the only mode you know. You can substitute knowledge for time and still outperform by ensuring accuracy and quality in every step you take.
There You Have it
This strategy of mine is by no means perfect. It looks simple. It’s not, however, that easy.
I get it wrong from time to time, and if you’ve worked in data as long as I have, you will know that you have no control over what’s going to break, or what’s going to come at you at any given moment.
I love refining the way I work. I love seeing how other people work, stealing what works for them, and applying it to my way of working. What I have learned from my observations is that a lot of people out there are trying to do it all and failing miserably, and burning out in the process.
I hope by getting a glimpse into how I approach my work gives you some ideas to apply to your methods of working. If you have any tips or advice, I would love to learn from you too.
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