_please_ learn from my mistake. I spent a solid 4+ years working by myself (some remote help once in awhile) on a startup for a manipulative sociopath who kept telling me "cash flow issues" (so couldn't really hire another person quite yet). I can see my mistakes now, so it's not entirely all their responsibility, but I should have stopped working period - these fools thought one could run a enterprise B2B company like a corner store. But anyone in the IT world knows that can't be done a lot of the time - commitment to the profession, etc.
anyway, before I start whining. don't let your behavior become a habit - it is so very easy to do. I managed to meet up with people once in a great while, so I sort of stayed sane, but spending 10 hrs a day by yourself for very long periods of time ... there was always something to fix and so very easy to get focused and lost in the world. Programming probably involves the dopamine system in your brain - solving puzzles all the time, you get a rush for it, and so it's reinforcing.
You sound better than me in that you are realizing this earlier than I did. You have to be far more proactive though - make it a conscious habit to only work a set amount of time and force yourself to interact with strangers. I think I had a nervous breakdown of sorts and finally quit - it's been a year and I'm still shattered and my life is not fully repairable to some extent now because of where I am at in my life now. I really fucked up. Please don't do the same!
anyway, before I start whining. don't let your behavior become a habit - it is so very easy to do. I managed to meet up with people once in a great while, so I sort of stayed sane, but spending 10 hrs a day by yourself for very long periods of time ... there was always something to fix and so very easy to get focused and lost in the world. Programming probably involves the dopamine system in your brain - solving puzzles all the time, you get a rush for it, and so it's reinforcing.
You sound better than me in that you are realizing this earlier than I did. You have to be far more proactive though - make it a conscious habit to only work a set amount of time and force yourself to interact with strangers. I think I had a nervous breakdown of sorts and finally quit - it's been a year and I'm still shattered and my life is not fully repairable to some extent now because of where I am at in my life now. I really fucked up. Please don't do the same!