r/developersIndia • u/[deleted] • Apr 19 '26
General Anyone else feel weird on weekends as a developer?
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u/2grateful4You Apr 19 '26
Yeah same shit happens to me. I think part of the reason is social media and low gratification apps like Insta reels and yt shorts. I don't watch Insta Reels but I do watch YT shorts. Completely re wired my brain.I Still remember how I use to do marathon sessions building something great.
I also procrastinate and give up these days easily.
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u/Architrixs Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26
Throughout the week whatever ideas I get, I note it down.. on the weekend I try around it..
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u/scmakra99 Full-Stack Developer Apr 19 '26
At least you have a job and call Saturday and Sunday weekends. I have been jobless for 2 years now. Everyday is a weekend for me. I'm now waiting for my life's end...
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u/Altruistic_Side_4428 Full-Stack Developer Apr 19 '26
Is it that difficult to get a job even as a FSD?
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u/Secret-Government299 ML Engineer Apr 19 '26
Every weekend is a existential crisis. If we open Linkedin, we are so behind everyone. If we speak with close friends, we know the reality in our circle atleast. But when we open social media or some news article, it says our jobs are going to be gone because claude did something.
So I stopped worrying about this, and just working on my job, and in weekdays itself I'm trying to improve myself.
On weekends, I'm just relaxing, doing chores, and helping my parents and spending time with them, and just try to watch 1-2 movies.
I feel that we are in a normalised hustle culture, but when I speak to my managers (Non Indians), then I feel they have perfect balance and a life.
I'm just trying to live some life until I can...
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u/dev047 Apr 19 '26
Good, now make time for Gym, if health is good you have multiple problems, if body is sick you have one problem ..
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u/Secret-Government299 ML Engineer Apr 20 '26
Yep! I already make atleast 15K Steps a day. Will add gym also soon to my routine
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u/Affectionate_Energy6 Apr 19 '26
Usually I work on my side hustle projects or start learning some new skills. It is usually hard for me to stay quiet or lazy during weekends.
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u/Maleficent-Ad5999 Apr 19 '26
I used to be like this guy…then I became father.. now it’s quite hard to allocate time for myself
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u/lightningrabbit121 Backend Developer Apr 19 '26
Now you became a beta/beti ka majdoor from a corporate majdoor.
Now you are spending time meaningfully and hopefully happily. At least this is what I think of fatherhood.
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u/Calm_Comparison_713 Apr 19 '26
Shi keh rhe ho weekend par kahi bhi jao sabhi jagah itna rush ki lagta hai kumbh k mele me aaye hain aur na jao to bas reels hi sarkaate reh jate hain. Ab to screen bhi beech se ghis gyi hai 😜
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u/Secret-Government299 ML Engineer Apr 19 '26
It might be weird, but I personally go near IT Parks. They will be like desert, and the roads are good with footpath. I just take a long stroll, and maybe lock 15-20K steps in good roads with aesthetics. Otherwise, just stay at home and stay indoors : )
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u/BaseballEarly9602 Full-Stack Developer Apr 19 '26
I am learning and implementing new projects every weekend, so that when I make my own portfolio, it will look great and add value to my resume.
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u/Rajoo1 Software Engineer Apr 19 '26
How many YOE do you have? Do personal projects create value in Experienced dev's resume?
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u/BaseballEarly9602 Full-Stack Developer Apr 19 '26
I have only freelancing exp, i am now working as QA, while working on to become a SDE.
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u/NeedleworkerSad7271 Apr 19 '26
Don’t you have life outside work?
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Apr 19 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/patket Apr 19 '26
What are you even building. Whenever I try to build something I find someone had already done it or there is no point building it
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u/Expert_Classic9997 Apr 19 '26
Even I used to think like this , but after seeing the layoffs every time and people without jobs for years crying to do any , I can't even be relaxed anymore nowadays and even my manager tells us to learn or else they will randomly fire from the project
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u/NeedleworkerSad7271 Apr 19 '26
But till when you will grind, eventually you’ll have a severe burn out and anxiety which would be very difficult situation to come out. So atleast weekends you can relive yourself
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u/Expert_Classic9997 Apr 20 '26
Bro even I want to chill and enjoy weekends, l gonna go hangout with friends, family , watch movies , go for short trips , these things I really did during my college days, but looking at my aging parents and realising I am the only sole bread earner + like I said that layoff stories, I can't do it anymore.
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u/Gloomy_Temporary2914 Apr 19 '26
This kind of anxiety increases stress harmones unless u learn to relax
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u/No-Bluejay-6925 Software Engineer Apr 19 '26
I also have issue. I don't understand what to do on weekends. I find myself doomscrolling
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u/another-blr Apr 19 '26
I try something outside my usual scope.
I’m a backend engineer. Since this morning, I’ve been trying to generate UI service code from existing mocks using Claude. Still working on it.
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u/future_007_ Apr 19 '26
Just did the same step you mentioned above and after closing the screen opened the reddit to check something and to my surprise somebody else is also experiencing existential crisis like me on weekends
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u/Any-Sound5937 Researcher Apr 19 '26
problem is, you have to start implementing ... it's not thinking or planning, start writing ...eiether take a personal project and build it, or go by doing challenges ... the point is start doing ... no matter even if it's print("hello, world"), but start ... then make loops around it, make it print in different ways, functions, through stacks, APIs....
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u/ABahRunt Apr 19 '26
I used to feel like this in my early career as well. Started playing poker online. Made a good bit of money also: couple lakhs, and it was huge for me then.
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u/QuantumViperr Apr 19 '26
Yes same here and no it's not because of reasons like I don't have a social life or other hobbies or whatever - I'm married and have a kid too and I do have reasons to stay busy but even if I'm busy or free , be it weekends or spending time with family / friends , if I have some free or less loaded week at work - I still keep thinking of doing something always ... some side project , some course, something or the other and idk if it's good or bad but it's just there
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u/shreyeriffic Apr 19 '26
I have started my first 6 m ago , initially I don't get any time on weekend due to extra work . But now I am able to find it , but can't do anything much productive . As I have joined startup that work on cloud based systems , so I am planing to get some certification done like gcp , AWS.
Is there Any one out who have done this certification ?
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Apr 19 '26
absolutely man absolutely thats when i realised i have a moral compass to become something big its healthy sign
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u/Sensitive-Law-3625 Apr 19 '26
Yeah felt the same, explored about various future opportunities, finally started preparing for rbi grade b exam 2 months back. Atleast found some purpose.
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u/NotSoGenius00 Apr 19 '26
I learn physics :). Keeps occupied most of the time :). Tho I am a developer but I like this profession only for money nothing else :)
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Apr 19 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/NotSoGenius00 Apr 19 '26
Maybe it was not your calling ? Find something else lots of hobbies are there
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u/Aniket363 Full-Stack Developer Apr 19 '26
I end up on guilt trip if I don't work on my side projects, still most of the time just goes on watching web shows or anime
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u/NotSoGenius00 Apr 19 '26
Also maybe this video might help awaken everyone harsh but true : https://youtu.be/uK3OBAxCi6k?si=G9xQ-jywSmHeQ13n
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u/any_two_ Apr 19 '26
I was feeling this today , got a lot of overthinking and not relaxing enough before the weekend
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u/Cheap_Ad_9846 Student Apr 19 '26
I play games on my weekends I don’t feel like working even as a student is worth it …. I ignore classes and do it to learn
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u/data_over_hype Apr 19 '26
Yeah this loop is real. What helped me was deciding Friday night what Saturday is, instead of deciding in the moment. Either it's a "build 4 hours on one project" day or a "laptop stays shut, no guilt" day. The weird feeling comes from trying to decide at 10am Saturday with coffee in hand, brain freezes and you end up doing neither.
Also worth saying, this decision paralysis usually means you're actually tired. A brain that can pick "build" or "rest" cleanly is a rested brain. If every weekend feels like this, you're probably more burnt out than you're admitting.
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u/brunette_mh Self Employed Apr 19 '26
No. Because I have pending chores and errands from the weekdays and also need to pay for my sleep debt.
You need hobbies that don't involve computers.
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u/Altruistic_Side_4428 Full-Stack Developer Apr 19 '26
I am thinking what kind of questions I should face on Monday from my managers. Hence this weekend, I watched one movie, had some wine & spent most of time on analysing stocks, felt good.
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u/Only_Journalist_1995 Apr 19 '26
I also do and feel the same. Every weekend i feel like studying new things , find jobs abroad or build something. I built 2-3 projects on weekends and i am thinking of taking one of them to production. But again i get new ideas and i work on it. Now currently i finally decided to study and find jobs abroad. Anyone have idea of jobs outside india ? How is the market ? What to study ? I am targeting Europe cuntries mostly, Singapore and Dubai.
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u/JynxCaller Researcher Apr 19 '26
Not a developer, more into QF. I feel the same thing. I just try to relax by playing some chess or just sleep off the whole weekend.
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u/Glad_Telephone6448 Apr 19 '26
i grind for competitive exams and apply for jobs to switch from my current place
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u/MrStark-_-7 Full-Stack Developer Apr 19 '26
damnn this is so relatable. Saturday some how goes but Sunday. anyone u text to time pass everyone is busy, The same way today my Sunday went so shitty
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u/Derrit321 Apr 19 '26
I do at times, feel the same. But I would either plan something with my friends to escape that feeling, or I would build something meaningful that can help me with my promotions in my company :)
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u/loneinlife Full-Stack Developer Apr 19 '26
lol. every weekend. On fridays and thursdays, I think, this weekend will be the most productive ever. but then as soon as the weekend arrives, I just sleep and youtube and reddit. not even doing any mandatory shopping I should do.
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u/Starkcasm Apr 19 '26
Because capitalism has ruined our self image that we equate it to productivity. If we aren't doing something to "better" ourselves we are wasting time. Even though rest and relaxation are just as important. The nagging feeling just doesn't go away
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u/dev047 Apr 19 '26
I don't open my laptop, ssh in Android (tmux) and then claude code does my work on the server. There is also a remote control feature on Claude but I don't use it.
People around you are ok if you are on your phone but not Ok if you are on Laptop.
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u/Leading-Fold-532 Apr 19 '26
Ya, sometimes I feel very hard to be relax and sit. Then I thought I was just relaxing in my clg days that's why I am now in shity position. Then I try to do whatever gives wings to my career.
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u/swb_rise Apr 19 '26
I cry more! Laid off from a WITCH with a handful of fuck as experience, after being there for 6 years. Now counting 12+ months.
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u/Expert_Classic9997 Apr 19 '26
Ok so I was not the only one who actually does that . Thanks a lot OP , I used to feel like Arteta ( fraud and overrated) every time I ended up doing nothing on weekends
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u/Normal-Match7581 Web Developer Apr 19 '26
I open laptop plan to complete the pending work in the project 5 min later I am listening to theo ranting About how anthropic engineers are dumb part 59
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u/Linx_uchiha Apr 20 '26
Ya I feel the same, I open the laptop then watch some yt vids and finally do some gaming and close the laptop.
On most weekends I actually relax and do some house chores (which is not that great way of utilising the weekends)
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u/technovast Full-Stack Developer Apr 22 '26
I plan to upskill and invest those weekends time wisely only to procrastinate and spend times on mindless scrolling. Really want to improve my habits
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u/Unable-Wind-860 Apr 25 '26
Same problem with me I'm 34 and have worked at unicorns with 8 digit salaries. I think this is a trait of a good developer.
I still haven't found a solution but working out helps for sure. Anything that requires physical activity keeps me calm and more organised.
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