Many countries now adopt a two-day weekend system. The weekend gives us a legitimate escape from the tedious and repetitive work day after day, letting us rest well and recharge. At the same time, it is also a great opportunity for us to think deeply about some issues.

Programmers (developers or software engineers) are quite special compared with other professions. Even though many jobs now require using computers, writing code is still different from those industries. Inspired by the article "14 Things Successful People Do On Weekends" by Jacquelyn Smith, in this article I have summarized some beneficial things programmers can do on weekends. If you, as a fellow programmer, are also planning your weekend, I sincerely hope this article can provide you with some ideas.

1. Make some time for family and friends

Programmers are usually very busy on weekdays, so weekends become an important time to reunite with family and friends. This also applies to other industries.

2. Stay away from the computer

Some people now advocate a "tech-free day", that is, a day on which no technology is used. But I think it is unrealistic for programmers to have no contact with computers at all; however, we can avoid some unnecessary contact. Staying away from the computer means putting computer-related work aside for the time being.

3. Outdoor activities: hiking, cycling, running, fishing, and boating.

Sometimes the venue may restrict the above outdoor activities. But parks are everywhere now, so you can always keep up at least one of them. In addition, communities nowadays are equipped with some fitness equipment; you might as well go there and exercise.

4. Activities at home: cooking, cleaning.

It is best to do them together with your family.

5. Read books and magazines that interest you; technical ones are fine too.

Research has already shown that reading is beneficial to the brain. Reading can cultivate sentiment, broaden your mind, make you knowledgeable and respected, and give you a unique temperament. As the saying goes, "A person filled with poetry and books radiates elegance." Moreover, even as you age, it can keep your thinking sharp. The benefits are truly too numerous to count. If you need a very quiet environment to read, then I suggest you go to a school or public library, where you can be a bookworm, wandering through the forest of books, leisurely and joyfully—what a delight.

6. Write a diary/blog.

Writing can organize thoughts in an orderly way, make them clear and distinct, and extract the essence while discarding the dregs.

7. Draw diagrams to make the difficult easy.

If you think writing is too out, you can also choose drawing. You can let your imagination run wild on paper, or use those nice online tools, such as Lucidchart, infographics, MindMeister, Sea Quail Database Diagram tool, and so on.

8. Keep in touch with friends.

Networking is not only very important for business people, but equally important for programmers. There are all kinds of people on social media who get together for different purposes. If you live in a big city, you might as well meet up with group members who share the same hobbies on the weekend, talking about life, commenting on history, and looking forward to the future—whatever you like.

If you have other good ideas, feel free to leave a comment. Let's learn together and improve together.

Original English text:8 Things Programmers Can Do at Weekends