[polishdude20]

I used to think like you. Then I realized, it's perfectly fine not living and breathing code every waking moment of your life. As I got older my priorities changed. Why is it that I need to do this stuff in my off hours as well? I'd like to ideally be a balanced human being with various interests, physical fitness, a good social life and romantic life. Isn't that better in the long run not only for a company but for society as a whole?

[kaashif]

> Why is it that I need to do this stuff in my off hours as well?

The comment you're replying to says they do it for fun. If you don't find it fun, of course you won't do it for fun outside work, at best you'd do it for more money or something.

I don't know if I'd go as far as "living and breathing" but at work I write boring code, at home I write fun code. Different languages, different problems, no deadlines, actual fun rather than work.

[scarface74]

I started programming as a hobby in 1986 in 6th grade. By the time I graduated college in 1996, I had been a hobbyist programmer in 4 different assembly languages. I haven’t written a line of code “for fun” since then. The last thing I want to do is open an IDE after work after doing for my job.

I was a part time fitness instructor from around the time I graduated until I was 35, dabbled in real estate for a few years, got (re)married at 35 and raised two (step)children and now my wife and I just started traveling and doing the “digital nomad” thing - staying in hotels and flying mostly to different cities in the US with a few stops in Canada and Mexico.

There are a million of things I would rather do with my free time.

[Justsignedup]

To add: I love coding. It is fun. But after work, I close the work laptop and enjoy time with family, some games, getting house work done, etc. Coding then coding and then coding some more is a surefire way to burn yourself out. I've done it. It is bad.

[jollyllama]

I interpreted GP differently, but I don't disagree with you. There is room in between the externally motivated strivers and intrinsically motivated nerds he refers to, and well-rounded persons like you describe can occupy it.

[hxegon]

I completely agree that you shouldn't have to do it for fun, but I'd say A) it's still possible to balance 'code as a hobby' and the other parts of your life and B) I think OP's comment is more about having a much larger skill gap because you're spending more time practicing and exploring things outside your typical work things. It really sets you apart from your peers and helps you be more valuable to your peers. This is how I got my current job, exploring interesting ideas while working my previous one.

[slothtrop]

Agreed, but I'm in a position where I have to code (or study) at leisure if I want to be marketable in the near-term. Really makes me realize I would not do this on my own, "for fun".