How do you get ready to start your day? 

Starting my day with an hour-long walk outside, regardless of the weather, sets a healthy and mindful one for what is ahead. This routine provides not just physical exercise but also mental clarity, allowing me to plan my day and approach tasks with a meditative mindset. Following this, I enjoy a substantial breakfast and a cup of coffee, settling at my desk by 8:30 or 9:00 AM. This gives me a calm period to check emails and tickets before diving into work.

What is a typical working day like?‍

My typical workday involves coding new features, fixing bugs, planning future projects, and reviewing my colleagues' work, while also supporting ongoing business processes. Using tools like Jira and GitLab, our team collaborates effectively with minimal time spent in unproductive meetings.

I also follow the Pomodoro technique, this involves 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break, this helps me to maintain productivity. We have a lot of freedom to work in the way that suits us best, which I appreciate, as it allows us to get the best out of our team.

What are you most looking forward to getting involved with?

There is some upcoming work on my team where we will be given AWS accounts to configure infrastructure for a new product. So far, I have been working on a previously established platform, so I have not had much exposure to the architectural side of things—I have just been a user. The learning experience from this will be invaluable, and I am really looking forward to it.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

The most challenging part of my job is the technical side, which is exactly where I want the challenge to be. Some days, I know exactly what to do and everything flows smoothly. Other days, I can get stuck on a nasty bug or error, stalling progress. I am grateful for these moments as they are the most instructive. They result in a huge sense of satisfaction when resolved and provide me with a true understanding of the system. This healthy challenge contributes to the growth of my technical skills. It also indicates that other job aspects are well-managed, allowing me to focus on my primary responsibilities.

How do you like to unwind after work? 

I like to play snooker with my friends, usually once or twice a week. It helps me take my mind off work and have some competitive fun while socialising. When I am not doing that, I go to the gym, this leaves me with the tired 'day is done' feeling that I need for a goodnight's sleep. After dinner, I usually binge-watch YouTube for a bit.