@mr.paidsocial: Sometimes my next useful step is to step away. I once spent days stuck on an automation problem, then had an idea during a short bike ride. That is the story in this clip. A break does not guarantee a solution, but repeating the same approach while frustrated was not helping me see another one. Here is a way to put that into practice: 1. Name the exact point where you are stuck. Leave yourself a short note about what works, what fails and what you have already tried so you can return without starting over. 2. Pause the repeated attempt. If you are doing the same thing and getting the same result, a change of activity can be more useful than another frustrated repetition. 3. Choose a break that suits you. In my example it was a bike ride; the transferable part is stepping away, not copying a particular activity or duration. 4. Capture an idea if one appears. Write down the possible next step so you can examine it properly when you are back at the task. 5. Check the idea against the actual problem. A new perspective is a lead to investigate, and the result still needs to be tested rather than assumed. Keep this description as a reminder for the next time you get stuck. My ride helped on that occasion; it is a personal example, not a promise that every break brings an answer.
