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Ask HN: Do developers have a version of writer's block

by ckugblenu on 7/30/15, 10:42 AM with 7 comments

• by lsiunsuex on 7/30/15, 11:05 AM

  Maybe not so much writers block as periods of indecisiveness - sometimes theres soooo many ways to do something, it can be hard to decide the best way or the easiest way to do it. Or if a problem is complex, it can be hard to pull the trigger and commit to a way to do something.

  If I find myself starring at the screen for more then 10 minutes and not writing a single line, I try to walk away - don't open a news site and waste time - literally walk away and go do something completely different. Take a walk, go for a bike ride, clean the house, take a shower, make something with your hands, whatever you do. Your mind will work on the problem in the background - it helps me often.

• by seren on 7/30/15, 10:52 AM

  Not necessarily a block, but I tend to procrastinate by "yak shaving" when I have something boring to do.

  If you are really blocked in front of your editor, it is likely you are opening your editor too early, or trying to solve something too big. Go back to the drawing board or user and split the task in smaller chunks.

• by dankruss on 7/30/15, 10:57 AM

  I like to think of it like this: If you're facing that 'block' feeling, it means the problem isn't fully understood. So, see that as an opportunity to improve your personal process. Qualify the problem, build the solution, then optimise.

• by DoofusOfDeath on 7/30/15, 10:53 AM

  Speaking for myself, no. Sometimes I don't know which approach I have in mind is best, which can delay me a little. If I have no idea how to tackle a problem, there's always been enough literature to give me ideas.

• by jcpu on 7/30/15, 11:07 AM

  I agree with the above. Spend some time thinking about the problem before you dive in and start coding. Once you've identified the necessary pieces, start chipping away.