As software engineers, we have an amazing ability to get deeply absorbed in a problem and work tirelessly until we crack it. All of us are intimately familiar with the deep satisfaction we experience once we unlock the solution to a problem we’ve been chipping away at. For many of us, this problem solving loop is the driving force behind our work.
As we grow as engineers and take on problems beyond trivial scope, we will sometimes find ourselves stuck, unable to make meaningful progress. We will exert more and more effort until either we crack it or the day has come to a close and we must close our device and head home. Whenever the latter situation is upon me, I often find myself feeling quite drained. Often this sensation leads me to believe I am exhausted and need rest, above all else. So I head home and collapse on the couch to watch TV or play video games.
However, following some of these unfruitful problem-solving sessions, I have had some obligation scheduled which required me to cycle or walk to it. What I found then, by chance, was a bit curious. After a handful of minutes of movement, whether minor when walking, or more exertive when cycling, I’d notice the apparent exhaustion lift from me. I found, in fact, that my body was full of energy ready to be released, and it was only my mind that had been spent from the day’s work.
The act of moving the body also frees the mind from the feeling of being stuck, which is perpetuated by rolling a problem over and over looking for a solution. If you cannot give your mind a sense of progress by solving the problem, giving your body that sensation is another route to becoming unstuck.
One of the other pervasive sensations I feel after a day like this is that I have failed in some sense. This is usually just my inner critic acting up. Nonetheless the sensation sits with me at the end of the day. Movement allows me to regain a feeling of success in my day. It is inherently empowering for a person who spends so long desk-bound. I find ending a day on a win is imperative to being able to return the following morning with a positive mindset.
Finally, the conscious mind can only work on a problem actively for so long. Eventually you will need to hand the reigns over to the subconscious mind. We are all familiar with the sensation of a solution seemingly appearing from thin air while having a shower or doing the dishes. This was the fruit of your subconscious mind labouring on the problem. I find a great way to move a problem from your conscious mind to your subconscious is to do something that takes focus. Few things require more focus than movement, especially the more intense varieties (bonus points if it’s in nature). I find when running or cycling, my conscious mind is absorbed in each step or turn of the pedal, ensuring I am maintaining a good rhythm as I move.
Whether you are like me and enjoy running, cycling and hiking, or have some other form of movement that you enjoy, you will certainly benefit from adding a session of movement to the end of your work day. Give it a try.