This makes sense to me if the problem I'm solving simply devolves to code and I want as short a path as possible to completing it. I really don't see that much

This makes sense to me if the problem I'm solving simply devolves to code and I want as short a path as possible to completing it. I really don't see that much anymore, other than basic bug fixes. Not every problem I'm solving is just a hunt for the code implementation. I like to reason about solutions beyond the syntax. I use pen and paper a lot, including for code, and I'll use shorthand to represent longer-form code blocks. I find that approach better because I can hide the noise that code blocks can introduce in an IDE. I want code to support my solution -- not a solution to fit into code. IDEs and frameworks can have that affect on people, in my experience. As with this comment and the one preceding it, your mileage may vary.