Personal productivity for scientific software professionals is not solely about managing time, the amount of code produced, projects completed, or papers published. It also encompasses the overall satisfaction derived from their daily professional life and how this satisfaction contributes to sustaining their career.
Personal productivity for scientific software professionals may sometimes be perceived merely as a measure of code being developed, tasks being accomplished, or deadlines being met. Only considering these types of measurements can lead to sources of frustration and are not necessarily sustainable. Instead, we should guide professionals to consider the benefits of improving practices, allocating time for learning new materials and developing new skills, taking breaks, managing tasks and time efficiently, fostering collaboration, and, perhaps most importantly, prioritizing their physical and mental health while striving for good work life balance.
