Does that make it a negative if you're time away from work involves family, outdoor activities, DIY projects, etc? I think that what you are saying is what most people look for. Someone who writes code for a living and then goes home to write code to relax. That generally fits the young, unmarried/no kids, recent college grad stereotype.
I'm curious because I have been burnt out at work and decided to focus on those things I mentioned. I'm much healthier and productive overall. Yet if I went to an interview I wouldn't have hours of OSS commits on projects I worked on after work to meet most job requirements.
I'm 30 (dunno if that's "young"), married, and write code to relax... kids might change that though (or at least change how much time I have to relax!). Not that I think everyone needs to work the same, mind you...
Kids don't change that. My little girl is 5 weeks old and I find much solace behind my editor during quiet times :) It's reinvigorated with the hope of whatever I learn I can pass down in the future.
I totally agree. Coding while monsters from cartoons and video games are growling in the background.
Or when my 4yr and 6yr old are fighting and a teenager is playing loud music.
I have a 14-month-old son, and I'm in the same boat. I watch him while my wife goes to night school, and after he goes to bed, I have a few of my most calming and productive hours of the day.
Don't worry about it. You'll expect 0 time to code but then really appreciate and make the most of it whilst you can. I've made great strides in skills and knowledge since my daughter has been born :)
What the kids do is introduce the "distraction factor"... Right when you're really in the middle of that groove... your baby will waddle in the room and try to kiss you or play with the noisiest toy in the solar system... Then she'll drop it and the dog with run off with it which will cause crying and boom... mood halted...
"Does that make it a negative if you're time away from work involves family, outdoor activities, DIY projects, etc?"
Absolutely not. There's a full spectrum here. But if some of your hobbies/leisure time relates to your work, you're going to be more valuable to an employer (assuming that doesn't get unhealthy). It's great if it's tangential, too. It's not about logging extra hours, it's about what gives you joy. Writing code could be one thing. Reading about new tech could be another. Or reading about related skills (management, design, marketing). If you truly love it, a higher percentage of your work time will be enjoyable, too (which means more productivity and better retention).
I certainly don't blame anyone for having a diverse life. But I have two great candidates, I'll always choose the one who loves their discipline enough that the read about it and noodle with it on the side.
I have two young kids and while it's changing as they get older I hardly have time for ANY hobbies, let alone enough for a range of activities of which this might be one. You say it's not about logging extra hours but in reality that's what it comes down to - you can't read books, write code, explore libraries and so on without time.
Now in part I'm playing devil's advocate - there are podcasts you can listen to on a commute and you can read the odd blog post in a few minutes here and there and a relatively small amount of time can make a difference - but I still think people need to be realistic about what might fit with a particular candidate at a particular point in their life and what that actually means.
I'm curious because I have been burnt out at work and decided to focus on those things I mentioned. I'm much healthier and productive overall. Yet if I went to an interview I wouldn't have hours of OSS commits on projects I worked on after work to meet most job requirements.