Hey friends,
As the final days of 2025 blink out on our monitors, there’s a natural pull to reflect. For us in software, a year isn’t just a calendar flip. It’s several product cycles, a handful of migrations, a parade of new frameworks whispered about, tried, and sometimes abandoned. It moves fast.
I’ve been sitting here, coffee in hand, scrolling through notebook scribbles, not to audit myself, but to listen. To what felt good, what felt like friction, and where the quiet sense of satisfaction actually came from. I thought I’d share my process, not as a blueprint, but as one perspective in our shared journey. Maybe some of these questions will resonate as you think about your own path into 2026.
Looking Back with Kindness
Before we charge ahead, let’s look back without judgment. The goal isn’t to tally wins and losses, but to notice patterns.
The Energy Audit: Which tasks or projects consistently left you feeling energized, even when tired? Was it that deep dive into a gnarly performance issue, the mentorship you casually provided, or the UI polish that finally felt right? Conversely, what routinely drained you? Was it the context-switching, a particular type of meeting, or the weight of a legacy system? Our energy is a precious resource. What were the highest and lowest consumers? n
The Learning That Stuck: Forget the buzzword bingo list. What did you genuinely learn this year that changed how you work? Maybe it wasn’t a new language, but a deeper understanding of your system’s observability, or a better way to write a test description so it fails clearly. What small piece of knowledge feels solid under your feet now?
The “Why” Moments: Recall a moment of significant frustration or a moment of pure flow. What was happening around you? The “why” behind these peaks and valleys often points to our unspoken needs for clarity, autonomy, collaboration, or deep focus.
Leaning Forward With Intent
Armed with those gentle observations, 2026 becomes less about a rigid “new you” and more about intentional shifts. Not resolutions, but directions.
From “Learn More” to “Learn Specific, Learn Deeply.” The tech ocean is endless. What’s one current that would genuinely help you sail where you want to go? It could be deepening expertise in your stack’s core, not just its edges, or learning enough about the business domain to better anticipate needs. Or maybe it’s a “soft” skill like facilitating a better brainstorming session or handling review processes.
Designing Your Time, Not Just Managing It. Based on your energy audit, can you subtly reshape your weeks? Could you advocate for a “focus block” on your calendar? Batch your code reviews? Even small adjustments to protect your focus or collaborative time can have a compounding effect on well-being and output.
The Connection Compass. Our work isn’t done in isolation. Who do you want to learn from? Who might benefit from your experience? Maybe 2026 is about seeking out one person for a monthly coffee chat, or contributing more deliberately to your team’s documentation or onboarding process. Strong networks are built on consistent, small contributions.
Prioritizing the “Foundation.” We maintain codebases, but often neglect our own foundation. What does maintenance look like for you? Is it setting stricter boundaries to avoid burnout? Is it finally automating that tedious deploy step? Is it dedicating time to pay down a tiny bit of personal tech debt? A stable base lets you build amazing things without toppling over.
A Final Thought
In our quest to be better engineers, let’s not forget to be human beings who code. The most sustainable strategy is one that includes curiosity, rest, and the occasional unplugged walk. Our craft is a marathon of learning and adaptation, not a sprint to the latest trend.
Here’s to a 2026 where we build not just with better technology, but with better intention, kindness towards our past selves, and a clear-eyed view of what makes us truly effective and fulfilled.
I’d love to hear what you’re reflecting on. What’s one small insight you’re carrying into the new year?
Cheers 🥂,
A Fellow Engineer.
