Not quite 40 yet but I’ve felt this way sometimes. Like the problem is too big and I can’t break it into small enough chunks to make sense of it. Sometimes it

Not quite 40 yet but I’ve felt this way sometimes. Like the problem is too big and I can’t break it into small enough chunks to make sense of it. Sometimes it helps me to open a text doc to use as a “thought stack”. Just a bulleted list of items as I descend into a problem. Whether that’s an actual call stack, or just a yak-shaving exercise, it’s nice to have those first few levels written down so I can get myself back out. It also helps for refreshing the context. Another strategy I’ve used is to write out the architecture in prose, explaining the pieces and how they relate, stream-of-consciousness style. I find it helps my mind break out of thought loops. I also notice that my mind recoils at anything that is boring, or that seems relatively pointless, to the point where it’s very hard to get into a flow with work like that. I think that used to be easier to push through.