On January 22, 2024, I didn’t know how to write a line of code in JavaScript on my own.

It was the day when I started my first lesson in the Foundation course by The Odin Project. This was the best thing I could find on my coding journey. The Odin Project saved me from tutorial hell, and all the projects you’ll see below were done on my own without any help from ChatGPT or other tools—just the knowledge I gained from The Odin Project.

After exactly 440 hours and 20 minutes of learning over 111 days, from January 22, 2024, to May 11, 2024, I was able to complete the Foundations course and create the final project on my own, which was a calculator.

Here are some additional statistics about the time I spent on this, as I know some people are curious about how long it takes.

How can you copy the process? Let’s dive in.

Reviewing the Data

Let’s start by looking at this data to see how accurate it really is.

I learned every single day for at least one hour. To calculate the study sessions, I used a Pomodoro timer set for 25 minutes each, with a 5-minute break in between.

So, I assume that 2 Pomodoros equal a 1-hour study session.

What do I use to document everything? Obsidian notes.

I began using it just before starting Odin because I knew this journey would be quite long, and I would need some nice notes to store my ideas.

Then, actually, for fun, I decided to count all these hours to see how long it would really take.

Many people asked, and only a few answered. It seems like most people just don’t bother to count the time, and I don’t blame them. (However, I saw some people claim it took them 3 months, while others needed a year). And I am talking only about the Foundations part here.

My Study Routine

But here’s how I did it, without skipping a single day, cheating, or omitting any resources.

I read everything, sometimes including additional resources. This, however, depends on the information included or the blog quality.

If I like it or see it would benefit me to save it as a bookmark for future use, I read it and save it; if not, I just skip and move further.

But I would highly recommend you always open all additional resource links and at least poke around.

For reference, you can have a look at all the projects I have done so far and get an idea of what you will be able to accomplish after the Foundation part of The Odin Project:

• RECIPES BOOK (yup, it’s ugly but as I remember, it was one of the first projects ;)
• LANDING PAGE
• ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS
• ETCH A SKETCH (this one wasn’t easy, believe me!)
• CALCULATOR

Weekdays

My daily routine looks like this: I go to work from Monday to Friday, from 7:30 to 16:00. I’m home around 16:30, then I take a shower, eat a quick supper, and usually by 17:00, I’m ready to start.

I spend one hour working on my other blogs that are not related to Odin. If sometimes it takes me only 30 minutes, then I start learning Odin at 17:30; if not, then at 18:00.

I learn until 19:00 and then work out for about 30 minutes in my room. By 19:30, I go for a walk and come back around 21:00. Sometimes, I study for 15-30 minutes more, but not very often So usually, it’s 1 to 1.5 hours a day.

I’d like to mention that I don’t have kids, so I don’t need to pick them up from school, etc. I live alone, which helps me manage distractions and stick to my plan.

But even so, one hour is not a lot, and I think that everybody can do it.

Weekends

Weekends look a bit different though. I wake up around 6:30, do some stretching, and start working on Odin at 7:00.

I am able to complete 4 Pomodoros by 10:00. Then I go tidy up my room, make breakfast, drink coffee, and am back to learning at 11:30.

On Saturday, I take a rest from working out and study until 14:00, then go to make dinner. If it’s Sunday, however, I work out from 13:30 to 14:00, and then the rest looks the same as Saturday.

After my walk, especially on Saturday, I go get groceries, and I’m back home around 17:00, which allows me to do 2-3 more Pomodoros.

Altogether, I can complete around 20 Pomodoros during a whole weekend, which is like 10 hours.

Sometimes it’s more, sometimes it’s less. If there are any days off, I treat them as if it were a weekend.

The Power of the Pomodoro Technique

A big part of my learning process was the Pomodoro Technique I already mentioned. It’s all about working in focused 25-minute bursts, called Pomodoros, with a 5-minute break in between.

After four Pomodoros, you get a longer break of 15-30 minutes. This method helps you stay focused and avoid burnout.

Barbara Oakley’s course on Coursera, “Learning How to Learn,” dives into how our brains work when we’re learning. She talks about the Pomodoro Technique as a great way to break study sessions into smaller chunks, making it easier for the brain to process and remember stuff.

If you’re curious about the science behind effective learning, you should definitely check out this course. I think it’s still free. At least, it used to be when I was told about it when I was starting.

The Odin Project’s curriculum uses similar principles. They suggest structured study sessions like Pomodoros, which align with proven learning methods. Following their directions and instructions helps you not only learn the material but also build strong study habits that will benefit you in the long run.

Balancing Workouts and Learning

If I didn’t work out, I would be able to learn more and faster, especially on weekdays, but it wouldn’t be too healthy, I bet.

Tips for Staying Focused

I also have some tips that worked out for me pretty well. Remember, you are going to face a lot of time-fighting procrastination between sessions. It’s very good to:

• Turn on flight mode on your phone, and put the device as far from you as you can.

• Don’t use your phone during the 5-minute break between Pomodoros. Stretch instead, walk around the room, and look through the window.

• If you are tired and feeling sleepy, get a standing desk or use drawers or some other furniture.

Overcoming Challenges

There will be days when you are tired or have many negative thoughts running through your head telling you to stop, that it’s not worth it, that you might be too stupid, or that AI will be coding in the future anyway.

If all these happen during your Pomodoro sessions, DON’T WORRY AND DON’T GIVE UP.

I also had loads of these thoughts, and it’s normal. Some days are worse than others, but I noticed that even the days when I was looking at the screen trying to read boring documentation 5 times helped me to at least stay consistent and build a habit.

Finding Enjoyment in the Process

At some point, you will realize that you like the process you are going through (if you haven’t liked it yet), and you will notice that all negative thoughts start to fade away, and your motivation goes up day after day, regardless of the level of difficulty.

I wrote more about this in my blog post about the calculator project. Happy learning!

What challenges have you faced in your learning journey? Share your best productivity tips in the comments! Follow me on Twitter for more tips and insights on coding and productivity.