Learning to code and becoming a plugin developer was not something I planned on doing.
I studied to become a registered nurse and enjoyed my work.
It was when I had my first child and was trying to fill my time during maternity leave that I embarked on a journey to becoming an entrepreneur.
Today, I run a form plugin that helps people collect information and carry out data-based functionalities.
I think that more women should take up coding since it offers many advantages. Here’s what I learned and why I think coding is a great option for women.
You can learn to code from home
Coding is a skill that you can easily pick up from your home. If you have an internet connection and a desktop then you can start coding right away.
While there are computer science degrees that you can attend college for full-time, it isn’t a strict necessity that you go to a physical location to pick up this skill.
You can do live webinar courses, online courses with videos, read articles and books, and practice basic coding with just a text editor on your computer.
This is especially great for new moms or women who have been out of the workforce for a long time.
Coding can be done remotely
Many women have to prioritize child-care and the management of their homes, which means that commuting and working in another location are not great options for them.
Fortunately, coding is something that women can do right from home or on the go. And because of the current pandemic situation, remote work is the norm.
Meaning that it’s a good skill to pick up for women who want to manage their home responsibilities along with career ones.
It’s not as hard as one thinks
Coding can seem intimidating to anyone who is unfamiliar with it. But there’s a ‘secret’ that more women should know about this field or any other one for that matter.
You may struggle to learn to code at first. And it’s common to feel frustrated and worried that you won’t learn enough to know what you’re doing.
But the truth is that you don’t have to know everything. You do need to understand learn certain things in coding, but most of the time, when you hit a problem, all you need to do is run a Google search to find the answer and then apply it to the issue.
Once you’ve gone past the initial struggle to pick up new knowledge that everyone goes through, you’ll find that coding is actually a skill just like any other but one that requires some logical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
You can be creative
One myth that many people believe is that coding is dull and tedious. It can seem that way when you look at lines of code and don’t understand what it means.
But what you should know is that coding allows you to be creative!
You can build a website, an application, and any kind of digital product that you can think of. You can solve problems and help people by using your coding knowledge.
I ended up building a form tool because that’s what my clients were asking for. Likewise, coding allows your creative ideas to turn into practical tools.
Start your own business
One of the biggest reasons to learn to code is that you can start your own business and create a passive income for yourself.
With coding, you’ll have the skills to start a website, build a SaaS or digital product, and create a setup where your business works with less effort from your side.
Doing this will help you get more free time and achieve your varied goals in life while taking care of your family too.
Conclusion
Learning to code can be challenging for anyone who hasn’t done it before or has misconceptions creating mental blocks.
I hope I’ve addressed these blocks in this post and given you something to think about.
If you can try to code for as little as ten minutes a day, you can have a viable skill a year from now. One that’s always in demand and one where you can grow and meet your goals with greater ease.