To learn means to acquire knowledge, develop mastery in skills, that ultimately makes you a better person.
In a conscious, continuous attempt at being a better version of myself, I have taken on the arduous task of becoming a world-renowned Software Engineer. Like a lot of successful ventures, one has to plan, and a significant aspect of my plan involves a deliberate sense of direction. Being a Software Engineer is not without its challenges. A beautiful thing about software development is that anyone can venture into the field, the inexhaustible tech field consisting of various aspects; programming, data analytics, design and many more.
Software engineering requires no prior knowledge of Computer Science as commonly believed, I can testify to that, as my educational background is in the medical sciences.
My software engineering journey kicked off in late 2018 after I attended a conference, where one of the speakers spoke at length about how challenging and beautiful this aspect is. I decided to try it, and I can gladly say I have had no regrets. I have come across various programming languages, and subsequently applied my knowledge in my personal and work lives.
One of the major, and often overlooked aspects of Software Engineering is Software Development Processes, which is the process of developing software processes through successive phases in an orderly way and it includes:
- Planning
- Analysis and Design
- Implementation
- Integration and testing
- Maintenance
This is more than a definition, it describes ideal living practices as a whole. Learning about the application of healthy software practices, also meant applying it in my day-to-day activities and experiencing a sense of fulfillment at the end of the day. I subsequently simplified these processes to fit into my daily activities, and my processes are:
- Having a goal
- Laying down specific goals
- Duration to be spent
- Working towards a deadline
- Distractions to abolish
- Training my focus
- Enjoying a treat
Being consistent with these practices leads to increased innovation, productivity and profitability. Take my weekends for example, it usually was for lounging around and doing nothing, but thanks to thoughtful planning, I was able to allocate time and resources for relaxation, physical and mental exercises, maintaining productivity weekly.
My software engineering journey also, has taken a turn for the better. It used to be a single effort in the sense that I watched videos online haphazardly, but now, I have designed a work sheet and I am ticking off tasks as I proceed. Subsequently, in my career and future endeavor, I will carry out my duties in a seamless manner and ensure maximum output.
Life is, indeed in stages, and a step in the right direction increases the possibility of success.
Rafiat Aminu
