Balancing Open Source, Career, and Life

When people ask me how I manage to juggle a full-time job while maintaining several open source libraries, I usually laugh and say "coffee, lots of coffee." But the truth is, it's been a journey of learning to harmonize different parts of my life rather than trying to perfectly balance them. There are weeks when my GitHub notifications explode while I'm deep in projects at work, and times when my fiancé rightfully reminds me that I've been staring at blue light for far too long.

I've learned that the key isn't about finding perfect equilibrium – it's about creating rhythms that work for you. Some days, I'm up late working on features or fixing bugs, while other evenings are dedicated entirely to my personal life. I've discovered that treating open source like a garden rather than a emergency room helps: not everything needs immediate attention, and sometimes letting issues sit for a few days leads to better solutions from the community.

What makes it all worthwhile is seeing how these different spheres of life enrich each other. The challenges I face in my day job often inspire improvements in my libraries, while maintaining open source projects has made me much better at my job. And yes, having a supportive and loving partner who understands both the frustrations and excitement of debugging at midnight makes all the difference. It's not always easy, but when you find your rhythm, there's a special kind of joy in contributing to something bigger than yourself while building a life you love.