Introduction
Today, I opened my notes app and headed to the "Light Bulb Ideas" note where I usually jot down my thoughts. That's a lie, the truth is that I'm not always so organized and I have more ideas scattered across random, unnamed notes. Nevertheless, today I felt motivated and pulled up this particular note to write "Digital Nomad Dev Mom". It's Friday and I'm home, having called in sick (fingers crossed my boss doesn't see this), and I needed to get my life together. After years of fighting it, I've realized that the 9-to-5 routine just isn't for me. My goal is to be a work-from-home mom with the time and resources to focus on what matters most to me, like my children, travel, and providing for my parents by buying or building them a house. This can't happen while I'm stuck in a 9-to-5 job. Hence, I embark on my tech journey to become a web developer.
My Background
let's rewind a bit, I studied Food Technology in university, but towards the end, I realized that spending my days in a lab or factory would not cut it. Needing to provide for my family, I took on a science teaching job at a school in Thailand (I've been in the same job since 2018). Around that time, I discovered EdX and D.J. Malan's CS50 course. I enrolled right away and every subsequent year since, yes I used to be one of those that never finish, but this time is different. I'm determined to finish it because I've found my purpose. There are a lot of missing details in between but this is the gist of it.
Current Status
Fast-forwarding to today, I've resumed my studies in CS50 and am about a quarter of the way through Leon's 100Devs program, a free fully remote coding BootCamp, geared toward getting the learner a job. There are numerous web development roadmaps available online, but I've decided to document my unique journey because journeys differ.
Study Plan
So how am I going to go about reaching my goal? Because I work from 7 am to 3 pm, here's a rough outline of what I hope my typical day will look like in the next 3-4 months:
Wake up at 5 am to make breakfast for my kids and me
Workout, shower, eat and commute from 5:10 am to 6:55 am
Work from 7 am to 3 pm
Commute home from 3 pm to 4:30 pm (unless there's a meeting or the bus is running late)
Rest, prepare dinner, and do household chores from 4 pm to 5:45 pm
Study and work on projects from 6 pm to 9 pm
Disconnect from screens and do something fun before bed from 9:30 pm to 10 pm
Go to bed at 10 pm
This is just a rough sketch, as not all days will go as planned (life happens sometimes). But I've committed to never make excuses and to be present during my study time from 6 pm to 9 pm. I've started this blog to share my learning and hold myself accountable.
Join the Journey
I'm excited to embark on this journey and document my progress along the way. I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire others who are also considering a career change or who want to upskill. By following my daily routine and staying committed to my study plan, I'm confident that I'll reach my goal of becoming a web developer. So stay tuned, as there's much more to come.
If you're interested in following along on my journey to web development or just want to stay updated on my progress, be sure to bookmark this page or sign up for notifications. I'll be posting regularly and I'd love to hear from you in the comments. Let's make this a community effort!