Noticed my code got better after I started walking away from the screen

I was getting really stuck on a simple loop error, just staring at the same lines for an hour. Out of pure frustration, I got up and went to make a drink. When I sat back down, I saw the mistake right away, a missing bracket. Now I set a timer for every 45 minutes to just get up and look out the window for five minutes. It feels weird to stop when you're 'in the zone,' but my focus is way sharper when I come back. I think my brain fixes bugs in the background when I'm not looking at them. Do you guys force yourself to take short breaks too?

3 comments

3 Comments

barnes.karen2mo ago

Come on, is this really a big deal?

nguyen.thomas2mo ago

Honestly, my focus timer is basically a suggestion box my brain ignores. Set it for 25, blink, and suddenly an hour's gone and I'm deep in some weird code rabbit hole. The wall-staring reset is key though, otherwise I just end up stuck on the same line forever. Maybe the big deal is finding what actually works for your own messy brain. What's your usual focus window look like when it's working?

lane.cameron2mo ago

My timer is actually set for 25 minutes, not 45. I read somewhere that's about the limit for solid focus before it starts to drop. So I code for one of those chunks, then get up for five minutes to just stare at a wall or my backyard. The reset is real, but for me it has to happen more often.

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