[cheschire]

How many software developers do you know who say they don't "work" outside of the office, but then write code at home for personal projects? What is the definition of "work" then? What would happen if you start to let go of the concept of "work" as the bad thing, and expand the argument?

I suggest we instead say using the same parts of your body and mind to the exclusion of the other parts is what is bad for you.

Knowledge workers probably shouldn't spend 6 hours a night learning or coding after an 8 to 10 hour day in the office. Trade job workers probably shouldn't go home and perform more tasks that are physically comparable to their day job without mixing it up.

A construction worker should probably attend night school or study or write code at night. A coder should probably go home and socialize, be active out in the world, or do home renovations etc. A manager probably needs to make time for meditation and non-social activities.

[wool_gather]

At least for me a large part of my choosing my career (software development) is because I love writing code. There's a huge mental difference for me between spending time writing code for myself, to learn or explore, and being at the keyboard for my employer. The complete self-direction in the project changes the character of the time. It really is a different headspace, and I don't think it's quite fair to say that it's still "working", in the sense of it being a job.

In my experience, the problem with overworking is not the activity itself. It's the mental state of doing a thing because of some sense of obligation, duty, or politicking/competition (or maybe threat, if you're doing it because you're anxious about job security).

Now that said, I totally agree that physically doing the same activity for endless hours every day is not going to be healthy -- including mental health. I think you're totally right to suggest balancing out job tasks with contrasted activities. It is good for your body, and keeps you from getting stuck in ruts mentally. As appealing as it sounds sometimes, I'm not just a brain in a jar. Using the muscles and talking to other humans is also important for being fully human.

[watwut]

There are many professional developers who don't have side projects they would attend to regularly. Majority dont and those who do don't work on them every day.

Those I have seen to work on side projects almost every day acted similarly to people who worked long hours - eithet got burned after a while or their hourly productivity at work went down (they chatted and socialized more at work, we're more talkative during meetings, procrastinated and wasted time with play tasks instead of doing real task).