Let’s be real. AWS is powerful, but it can also eat up your time. I used to waste hours fixing small mistakes. Deploying the wrong stack. Losing track of changes. Spending way too long debugging.
Then I started building small habits. Five minutes each. Nothing fancy. But they changed how I work. These habits now save me hours every week.
If you’re an Hire AWS developer, especially running solo or with a small team, this will help you.
Why Small Habits Work
Big improvements don’t always need big changes. These habits are simple. They stop problems before they grow. They also keep your AWS work clean and fast.
Let’s get into it.
1. Take Daily Snapshots of Your Infrastructure
What I do:
Each morning, I run one AWS CLI command. It saves my stack details to a file.
aws cloudformation describe-stacks > cf-snapshot-$(date +%F).json
Why it helps:
Sometimes I tweak things in the console. Later, I forget. This habit gives me a daily backup of changes.
Real story:
I once spent 2 hours debugging a new bug. Found out someone changed a stack last night. A simple snapshot would’ve caught it in seconds.
Pro tip:
Add this to a cron job or alias. Run it every morning before you start coding.
2. Tag Every Resource As You Create It
What I do:
When I spin up any AWS resource, I add 2-3 tags. Things like:
- Owner: myname
- Env: dev or prod
- Project: clientX
Why it helps:
Tags make it easy to filter, sort, and delete stuff later. Also helps track costs.
Real story:
A few months ago, our bill was $300 higher than usual. I used tags to find the extra EC2 instance left on for a week.
Pro tip:
Save a tag block in your notes. Paste it every time.
3. Use Named AWS CLI Profiles
What I do:
I set up profiles for each environment. Dev, staging, prod.
aws configure –profile staging
Why it helps:
Prevents mistakes. You don’t want to delete a production database by accident. Profiles give you a clear way to stay in the right account.
Real story:
A teammate once pushed a test config to production. We fixed it fast, but it could’ve been worse. Profiles now save us daily.
Pro tip:
Use color-coded shell prompts to show which profile you’re using.
4. Check CloudWatch Logs First When Things Break
What I do:
Whenever something fails, I open CloudWatch logs first. Every time.
Why it helps:
Most problems leave clues in logs. This habit saves me from guessing or wasting time with other tools.
Real story:
I used to dig through code or Google errors right away. Now I go straight to the logs. It usually points me in the right direction fast.
Pro tip:
Pin key log groups in the CloudWatch console. That saves you clicks.
- Use Code for Every New Resource
What I do:
If I need a new Lambda, S3 bucket, or API Gateway, I write it in code. CloudFormation, CDK, or Terraform. Doesn’t matter. But no more clicking around.
Why it helps:
You can review it. Reuse it. Roll it back. And you always know what you built.
Real story:
Early on, I used the AWS console for everything. But I couldn’t track changes. My teammates couldn’t repeat setups. Now, we script everything.
Pro tip:
Keep starter templates handy. Copy, tweak, deploy.
Quick Wins That Also Help
Here are other 5-minute habits that work great:
- Check Cost Explorer every Friday.
- Set CloudWatch alarms on budget-sensitive resources.
- Use auto-delete scripts for test stacks.
- Give security groups clear, short names.
- Rotate IAM keys every month. Put it on your calendar.
What Changed for Me
I spend less time fixing dumb mistakes. I deploy faster. My logs are clean. My teammates can follow my work. Onboarding someone takes half the time.
These aren’t just good habits. They’re real time savers.
How to Start
Pick one habit. Just one. Try it for a week. Add it to your daily checklist or README.
Keep it simple. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about saving time, little by little.
Start now to connect with it staff augmentation services. Your future self will thank you.
