One of the areas I noticed when going through the Post-Bacc program and the capstone project, is that I would sometimes fall into a mental block. Staring and sitting in front of the computer screen for long periods of time can be unproductive. What should we do when our mental state is not at peak performance? TAKE A BREAK.
What Does A Mental Break Look Like?
In my opinion, it is important to take breaks. But I think it is important to understand how our breaks are taken and the quality of them.
Story Time
I think a good example would be during my time as a project engineer. Being in the construction industry those that work in the office have the experience of seeing a project on paper and building a physical structure. The payoff is rewarding, but that is not the point of the story. It is about the process of building towards that payoff. During the process, I would be spending most of my time in the office and working on the computer. It was not too often that I would walk around outside and see what the team has been building. Another project engineer that I was working with gave me the advice to walk around the construction site. This was for a couple reasons, it was taking a break from staring at the computer and getting some exercise walking. It also helps give time to reflect and see the progress of the project. Taking breaks helped rejuvenized my mind and allow me to focus on the task ahead.
So What?
So what is the takeaway for us when we are going into the Computer Science field? Everyone has their own way of relaxing and taking a step back from the work they are doing. I think the important thing to consider is the type of activity we do to take a break. In my opinion, going outside(outdoor activities, sports, social events) or interacting with people is the best way to relieve a roadblock. If you claim that this is not for you and not have tried any of these options, give it a chance. It is good to have a few hobbies that can take us away from looking at code all day.
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