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Ask HN: What should I do if I suffer from 'pre-optimization syndrome'?
More or less, I'm looking for answers in the form of steps, exercises, tips, tools, or rules-of-thumb.
Any help is appreciated since while I know pre-optimization is the root of all evil, I still at times feel so helpless that even a simple key-stroke becomes unbearable.
Is the root of the problem my train of thought? I perhaps try to do much problem-solving in my head and, more often than not, get caught in a what-if loop. This needs to stop before it finally results in a stroke or change of a career.
- jwilliams 18y agoI know pre-optimization is the root of all evil Doesn't have to be - try turning it to your advantage. If you need some inspiration, have a read of (fiction): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Discovery_of_Slowness http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Discovery_of_Slowness
- queensnake 18y agoAre you depressed? Depression can make it hard to make decisions, which I take the liberty of interpreting (being /able/ to make decisions, rather) as, 'having enough life-force to not sweat the small stuff', which might apply to getting stuck on micro-optimizations too. In which case, exercise, get enough sleep, and tell yourself you can catch what matters in a profiler at the end :)
- eli 18y ago+1 on sleep. You'd really be amazed at the difference this makes in how you think and act.