Getting Unstuck When Programming.

You should consider writing software only after you have a plan. How detailed, or complete, should the plan be? Not much, you can’t know the future, after all.

When you find yourself staring at the screen for more than ten minutes without making any meaningful progress, it’s your cue that you’re stuck. You need to get up and do something else.

Feeling stuck means that the mind is digesting information and may not be ready yet to make a decision. Make a note about the checkpoint that you reached and leave the desk. Allow your subconscious to offer you a suggestion at a later time.

The trick is being supremely clear about where you’re stuck. It should feel like anchoring a waypoint on an (undiscovered) map. The more coherent and comprehensible your summaries, the easier it will be for your mind to work on the problem, or to pick it up after longer breaks. Rushed comments are unacceptable. Respect your own time.