Article summary
Working on a software project can be fun but also challenging in many ways. I often find it particularly frustrating to miss the forest for the trees — getting so bogged down in a task or minor bug that I forget the bigger picture or task at hand. To deal with this, sometimes stepping away from the problem is the right choice.
Now, this may initially sound like a bad idea, but I don’t mean to walk away forever. I mean taking a break — going for a walk, reading a book, doing laundry, talking to a friend — literally anything other than working on the issue.
Why It Works
This approach is important for two reasons. First, when I return to the problem, my mind is clearer, allowing me to think more effectively about the issue I’m having with the task I’m tackling. I can then assess whether it’s truly important to the overall completion of the ticket or just something that bothered me that I couldn’t let go. As you know, many of us developers can be quite stubborn. With a clear head, I can decide more objectively whether to spend time on the issue or move on.
The second reason is to give my brain and eyes a break. When I focus on a problem for too long, it can dominate my thoughts. I become more rigid and narrow in my thinking, missing other parts at play or different approaches I can take. When I step away—whether it’s going for a walk, eating food, reviewing a pull request, or working on a different problem — I often return to the original problem with a new perspective and a reinvigorated will to fix it.
When to Do It
A big question with this approach is when to step away. How do you recognize the lack of progress and decide to remove yourself from the problem? This decision is subjective, but for me, it’s when I try two or three different approaches and get the same result. At this point, I realize I’m stuck in a rigid way of thinking. I need to step away from the problem and reset my brain. Basically, when I see I’m stuck in a loop of logic despite my efforts.
When I need to step away, I go for a walk or have a non-work conversation. The fresh air and different visuals clear my mind and refresh me. I converse with a co-worker or friend, which helps my brain escape its stuck thinking and explore different paths.
Stepping away and not focusing on a problem can be a truly effective, albeit counterintuitive, approach to solving it. This method has worked really well for me, and I think it can work well for you too.