Makers Mindful Coder Series: Week 2 — Cultivating Presence in Learning
A 9 part series of Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence topics from our Daily Meditation sessions at Makers. Take a sneak peak into what our learners experience.
Greetings from the Joy Team at Makers! As our learners continue their coding journey with us, we’re excited to delve deeper into our Makers mindfulness practices that help to enrich not only their technical skills but also their personal growth.
At Makers, we have a holistic approach to learning, emphasising the development of emotional skillsets to foster psychologically safe environments. This week, we focused on cultivating presence to raise self-awareness, practice patience and work with kindness.
Here’s a glimpse into what we explored:
Cultivating Patience in Learning
Patience is not just about waiting; it’s about how we behave while we’re waiting. In the fast-paced world of coding, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant stream of new information and challenges. However, patience is key when mastering the learning journey.
Take your time to understand concepts, practice regularly, and embrace the process of trial and error. Remember, every mistake is an opportunity to learn and grow. So, breathe, take it one step at a time, and trust in your ability to progress.
“Learning is like navigating a river — it requires patience to gently steer through both calm waters and rapids.” — Unknown
Kindness in Communication
In the world of software development, communication is essential. Whether you’re providing feedback on a peer’s code or planning a project with your team, kindness, goes a long way to creating a safe, productive learning and working environment.
Practice empathy and understanding recognising that everyone is learning and wanting to do their best. Choose your words thoughtfully, offer support where possible, and foster a culture of kindness within our community.
Self-Reflection and Awareness in Collaboration
Effective collaboration requires a deep sense of self-awareness. It’s about understanding your strengths, weaknesses, and communication style, and how they impact your interactions with others.
Take a moment to reflect on your contributions in teamwork. Are you actively listening to others’ ideas? Are you communicating clearly and respectfully? How are you practicing self-care to stay grounded and balanced?
By cultivating self-awareness, you can enhance your collaboration skills, build stronger relationships, and contribute positively to team dynamics.
This week’s reflective questions:
- How can you incorporate more practice of presence in your day?
- How might practicing patience play a part in your learning situations this week?
- In what ways can you incorporate kindness into your feedback today, and how did this impact the learning experience of both you and your peers?
- How has your self-awareness influenced my interactions recently? What changes can you make to improve how you show up in collaborative settings?
As you continue your journey at Makers or at work remember that emotional intelligence is just as important as technical skills in becoming a successful software developer. So, practice self-awareness, patience and kindness towards yourself and others, and watch as your coding journey flourishes.
Keep coding, keep growing, and keep showing up as your fabulous self.
Join us for part 3 of this series, “Navigating Stress”…
The Makers Joy Team
