Unblock my co-workers

Epistemic status: Compiled from 7+ years of work at a remote-only company, but definitely not a comprehensive or definitive list.

The best kind of work I can do is the one that allows my fellow workers to continue to do their job without impedement. In software development, this can take several forms.

Pull Requests

Get to that Pull Request sooner rather than later. In fact, make it a top priority. I have an entire hour blocked out for code reviews every morning, right after catching up on notifications. I might not need that much time, but it makes sure that that work is prioritized.

Documentation

If I’m in charge of writing any sort of documentation, make it a priority. Others will inevitably need it to implement or refactor features. Another advantage of doing it earlier: specs usually spark discussions. It often takes someone attempting to lay it all out for others to pick up on potential issues.

Discussions

This one can be tough. Discussions can drag on for days, especially in a remote-first, async-first environment. Something like that can tend to fall down in the list of priorities. It also forms the bedrock upon which work happens: code is written based on specs, and those arise from a combination of discussions. So never leave a comment unattended for too often. The earlier you get to it, the more vibrant the discussion.


Related Notes or Links