I can only work on a specific problem for so long before getting mentally fatigued. I get mental blocks that become hard to push through. Here are some ways that I have gotten over the mental block challenge, maybe they will help you:
- Take a walk or exercise. This can be a very refreshing way to replenish the energy store and give a clearer perspective on the problem.
- Talk with a colleague through the problem. This sounding board method usually has me answering my own questions. I have found that many times I couldn’t tell the person exactly what my block was.
- Solve a different problem. Head on over to Project Euler (if you are a developer) and knock out a problem or two, solve a crossword or Sudoku puzzle.
- Sleep on it. Don’t be surprised, if at 2am the answer comes to you. At that point, I get up and am excited to work on the problem.
What techniques do you use break a mental block?
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If I spend more than 3-4 hours on a problem without a break, it’s rarely a good thing. I like your list of ways to get past that unhelpful fatigue.
Chris