Look, I'm going to level with you here. Most developer "wellness" content is either preachy or completely disconnected from reality. You know the type: "Just do yoga at 5 AM and drink green smoothies!" Yeah, okay. Let me just squeeze that in between my toddler waking up and stand-up.
But here's the thing: after six and a half years of writing code and another six-plus years before that working 70-hour weeks in natural gas, I've learned something important. Your body is not optional infrastructure. You can't just keep deploying to production without ever doing maintenance. Eventually, the system crashes.
So here are some practical health tips for developers, the kind that actually work when you're juggling a career, family, and trying to stay human in the process.
The Most Unpopular Tip: Limit Your Screen Time Outside of Work
Yeah, I know. We're developers. We literally stare at screens for a living, and then we want to relax by... staring at more screens. Scrolling through tech Twitter, gaming, binging shows, it all adds up.
But here's the reality: your eyes and brain need a break. Especially before bed. That blue light isn't doing you any favors when you're trying to wind down. If you absolutely have to be on a device before bed (guilty), at least use the blue light filter. But honestly? Close the laptop. Put down the phone. Go outside. Get some actual fresh air.
I get it. This is not a popular message in the developer crowd. But at the end of the day, you'll sleep better, think clearer, and probably be more productive when you're actually at work.
The 20-20-20 Rule: Give Your Eyes a Fighting Chance
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Simple. Effective. Nobody actually does it consistently (including me most days), but when you do, you'll notice the difference. Set a timer if you have to. Your future self's eyesight will thank you.
Eat Real Food, Not Science Projects
I'm talking about food that looks like food, not something that came out of a factory with ingredients you can't pronounce.
This doesn't mean you have to meal prep like a bodybuilder or never eat pizza again. It just means being intentional about what you're putting in your body. More vegetables. Actual protein. Fewer things that come in crinkly packages.
Pro tip: Scale your calorie and carb intake based on your physical activity. Hit the gym or played disc golf all afternoon? Load up on carbs. Sat at your desk all day and barely moved? Maybe skip the extra bread and pasta. Your body doesn't need fuel for activity it didn't do.
Walk. Just Walk.
Walk before work. Walk after work. Walk after dinner. Take walking meetings when you can (yes, even virtual ones, earbuds exist).
Walking is the most underrated form of exercise, especially for developers. It gets you moving, clears your head, and doesn't require a gym membership or special equipment.
When my daughter Adeline was first born, those evening walks with her and Hillary saved my sanity more than once. Fresh air, movement, and time away from the screen. That'll do.
Lift Heavy Things: Your Legs Will Hate You (But Your Back Will Thank You)
Sitting all day destroys your posterior chain. You know what fixes that? Squats. Deadlifts. Leg press. Hit your legs hard to counteract all that sitting.
I'm not saying you need to become a powerlifter (unless you want to), but resistance training, especially lower body work, will do wonders for your posture, energy levels, and long-term health. Plus, it's way more effective than another hour of cardio.
A Few More Tips Worth Mentioning
Get enough sleep. You're not shipping better code at 2 AM. You're shipping bugs you'll regret in the morning.
Stay hydrated. Coffee doesn't count. Water does. Drink more of it.
Stretch. Your hip flexors are probably screaming at you right now. Listen to them.
Take breaks. The Pomodoro Technique exists for a reason. Work in focused bursts, then step away. You're not a machine.
Find movement you actually enjoy. For me, it's disc golf. For you, it might be something else. Just find it and do it regularly.
The Bottom Line
Look, I'm not here to guilt-trip anyone. I work strict 40-hour weeks because family time with Hillary and Adeline is non-negotiable. I know what it's like to grind yourself into the ground for a paycheck. I've been there.
But here's what I've learned: You can't sustain a long career in tech if you burn out your body in the process.
These tips aren't glamorous. They're not groundbreaking. But they work. And at the end of the day, that's what matters.
Take care of yourself. Not because some blog post told you to, but because you've only got one body, and you're going to need it for a while.