I'm a lucky guy, and I know it! I'm a middle-aged white male with a good job, a great wife, and all of that. Life is pretty good! Or at least it should be...
The other side of the story is that I have spent most of my career struggling mentally. I've not only questioned myself professionally since day one, but I have also had to take time off work because I couldn't even get out of bed in the morning. Still, most people around me don't have a clue about my situation. When they find out, they generally go "What? You? I would never have thought that"... A response that probably indicates how well I manage to hide it from the world. But I am more and more certain that that is not the right way to handle it...
I have spent a LOT of time trying to find ways to cope with the struggles in my life. Trying to balance my private life and work. Something that is much harder than it sounds in our industry. And I think we need to talk about it.
I want to talk about some of the things I have experienced, and some of the things I have done to try and make my life…well…a life for me. I also want to explain how getting a book about living with ADHD from my parents when I was 40 became a life altering experience. Not to mention what I think we as an industry could do to make life better for the people in it.
Chris Klug is a developer badass-as-a-service that either creates or solves problems depending on who you ask. He loves creating and building things. Whether it be a new application, a new kitchen or a new RC helicopter, you will see him building things all the time. Most of the time, that means writing code and solving problems for clients at a company called Active Solution in Stockholm though. Except for the many days he spends at conferences and usergroups, talking about doing things he is passionate about, and for the days he goes mountain biking, IPSC shooting, kiteboarding or RC helicopter flying. For the last 15-something years, he has been solving problems for customers, and loving it. But if he gets to choose, he'll go to the beach and kitesurf every day!
