Ever had those days where things are just really hard and things go extremely slow?
Ever had a stupid bug that you just could not for the life of you figure out?
Ever just felt that you are not going anywhere with what you are working on?
I assume each of these can true for anyone, at some point, but how do you actually deal with this?
I know of a couple of general solutions to these problems that I tend to use. I want to share those with you.
It’s a hump
First off, how can we describe what we are talking about here? How about a hump?
At least that is what I call it, because it feels like big bump in the road.
It’s one of those things that are incredibly frustrating and difficult to deal with. It’s just in your way!
You might even get angry (I certainly do sometimes).
Sometimes I have whole days that are humps. Those days things go very slow. I can’t focus properly. I can’t engineer for shit.
What to do
When you realize you have a day like that (or that you have encountered a hump throughout the day), it’s might not be best to not continue on.
Short break first
Try a short break first, just a brisk walk. Pull your head out of the current context and thoughts. Often that is enough to reset your mind and get a clear perspective on things.
The short break can be anything, but try not to think too much about the problems you are facing.
(Pro tip: you might wanna try to meditate to regain some focus. That often works wonders for me.)
Then a longer break, if needed
If that doesn’t work, perhaps take the day off and start early next morning. Some time off might just be what you need (and a good night’s sleep probably?).
Sometimes I have a task or a bug that feels extremely difficult. I just can’t properly wrap my head around it and nothing flows at all.
It’s one of the most frustrating parts of what we do. When we just can’t figure that stupid piece of crap out! The solution is often space. Get some space. You cannot see the solution when you get too close. Walk away. Do something else. Talk a walk. Meditate. Listen to music.
Whatever, just don’t think of problem for a bit. If it’s late, fix it early next morning.
When to fight through
The general solution is not always to fight through, although that often works.
You should most certainly not quit when you feel resistance, that is often exactly when you need to push through and finish.
I’ll say this again, because it is very important:
Do not quit right away.
Don’t quit the moment you feel like things are going slow (or not going at all). Most of the time, this is exactly when you need to continue.
Perseverance really is key to the maximum developer, and it still is the fact when what you really need is a break. It’s just that you need to hit the reset button to be the most productive. It’s not point going on forever killing yourself, when a short break might be more efficient.
What you need to learn, and this might not be obvious right away, is to know when things are hard because they are technically difficult and when they are hard because your mind is not working properly.
You need to get to know yourself. You need to learn when to stop for a bit, and when to really buckle down and concentrate on the problem at hand.
However, when your mind is not capable anymore, and everything seems hopeless - get some space. Preferably some head space with meditation and mindfulness (it that is your cup of tea).
There is nothing new about this at all. I have practiced these extremely simple techniques for as long as I can remember, but sometimes I have to be reminded about them.
I try too hard to not quit and end up exhausted instead. I actually have to be aware of when this happens, and force myself to take some space. I recommend you try to do the same, instead of wasting time banging your head against the wall for too long.
You probably know these things already, but perhaps you too need to be reminded from time to time about it. Be conscious about the way you solve problems, and perhaps you will see that a break will be the best solution right now?
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