Every problem has a solution, but do you see it?

We all have problems, or let's call them challenges, that at the moment they occur, seem insurmountable. I certainly do. While writing computer code to solve some of the world's most urgent problems (sic), I regularly encounter them. Those moments of absolute despair, when I cannot move on. I try google, the know-it-all search engine, but that does not work. Then I try stackoverflow, the developer's paradise, but I still hit a deadlock.

At this moment, I have 2 options. The most sensible one at first glance, is to keep searching for the solution; keep googling and so on. This is a fatal error(sic). When my brain encounters such barriers, for some reason, it goes into a deadlock. Every effort I make into resolving the issue is counterproductive. I actually make zero progress.

And the second option? I leave the problem. I close the IDE (Visual studio, Eclipse etc.) and shutdown my laptop. I go make a cup of tea and watch a silly show on TV. I go for a walk, or listen to music and dance to catchy tunes. This break is important. It can last an hour, or a day or 2, depending on the perceived magnitude of the problem.

When I come back to the challenge a few days later, I look at the problem with fresh eyes. And to my consternation, the answer "reveals" itself. It seems so obvious, why did I not see it before?

Image courtesy: http://www.giftstogive.org/

Well, now that I have cracked that SQL code, I can thankfully move the project ahead, hoping that my supervisor has not lost patience with me.

And that is my 2-ndururu tactic to solve all problems that seem impossible.

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