As far as I know, nobody’s last words, when their time was up, were “I wish I had worked more.” Perhaps a better time in one’s life is when there is still an opportunity to benefit from the insight. It dawns on many of us. I know people who wish they had worked harder when they had the time; in college, maybe, or in their first job. Henry Ford once said “It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste.” Either that is true or, for some reason, the better you use your time, the luckier you get.
Why devote so much time to your work? No aspect of Computer technology is static. Although relational database technology has been relatively stable, and T-SQL written 10-20 years ago is likely to run today, there is no role which allows you to let your knowledge and understanding of the technology stand still. Do that, and you could be stuck in a job with stale skills and a C.V. that is staler still. You would only come unstuck when your employer decides that you are not needed any more.
Whatever your exposure to technology may be at work, you need to use time wisely and at least do some reading during your spare time. If you need a book to read, a start would be to click this link to see the list of books that Simple-Talk has produced, and almost all of them are available for free as ebooks. With free books, articles and videos, together with free versions of most software to train with, the only precious resource you use is time… and effort.
You can actively find the time of course. Nowadays, it is quite possible to carry an E-Reader in your pocket to write and read about technology wherever you have a free moment. Waiting in a line, in the doctor’s waiting room, half-time at your child’s sports match, during minor surgery, at a wedding, or almost anywhere except for driving a car (podcast time?).
Now, before you go crazy, leave your family and friends behind in order to better your SQL skills, it is essential to maintain a work/life balance that you are going to be happy with when you’re getting comfy on your Serta-Eternal-Rest mattress and the balance point is different for everyone. If I put down a list of the work-related stuff I do in my free time, half of the readers would think my ego was out of control. For another small section of readers, you would be awestruck (don’t be). The rest would think I was a slacker as these will have recently written multiple books (instead of just one), have several jobs, are scout masters, life counselors, mentors and/or are building a new wing on their house with bare hands in the evenings. There is more to life than enjoyment. The problem is finding the time.
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