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Muskan Dodmani
Muskan Dodmani

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The Power of Pause: Transforming Debug Sessions into Success Stories

Hey there! Welcome to my very first blog post! I'm thrilled to share this debugging adventure with you all. ๐Ÿ˜ƒ๐ŸŽ‰

'Just one more try.' I whispered to myself, staring at the same MERN stack error for the 60th minute. ๐Ÿฅฒ

Personal Story ๐Ÿ“–

Recently, I found myself in a classic developer standoff - me vs. a seemingly simple bug in my MERN project. ๐Ÿคบ I write quotes in my free time, exploring life's little lessons, but this bug was about to teach me one I hadn't written down yet. My inner stubborn developer wouldn't let me step away. The same error message kept mocking me for 1 hour straight. The kicker? Just days before, I'd solved a much more complex issue in half the time. The difference? My mental state. ๐Ÿง 

The Problem ๐Ÿ›

Here's what my stubborn debugging session looked like:

  1. Repeatedly reading the same error message ๐Ÿ‘€
  2. Making random changes hoping something would work ๐Ÿคž
  3. Growing frustration with each failed attempt ๐Ÿ˜ค
  4. Ignoring my brain's increasingly desperate 'take a break' signals ๐Ÿฅฑ

Why We Push Through ๐Ÿ’ช

Let's be honest - we've all been there. That stubborn voice saying:

  1. 'It's just a simple bug, I SHOULD be able to fix this' ๐Ÿง
  2. 'I'm not leaving until this works' ๐Ÿ˜ 
  3. 'Taking a break means I'm giving up' ๐Ÿ˜ฎโ€๐Ÿ’จ
  4. 'Good developers don't get stuck on simple problems' ๐Ÿคฆโ€โ™€๏ธ

The Better Approach ๐Ÿ’ก

Here's what I learned the hard way:

  1. Productivity isn't measured by hours spent staring at the screen ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป
  2. Our problem-solving ability has a battery life ๐Ÿ”‹
  3. Sometimes, walking away IS the solution ๐Ÿšถโ€โ™€๏ธ
  4. Fresh eyes beat tired determination every time ๐Ÿ‘๏ธ

Practical Tips โšก

My new debugging rules:

  1. Set a 30-minute timer for initial attempt โฒ๏ธ
  2. If stuck, take a 15-minute complete break ๐Ÿง˜โ€โ™€๏ธ
  3. Document current approach before breaks ๐Ÿ“
  4. Return with a different strategy ๐Ÿค”
  5. Ask for help if stuck after two cycles ๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™€๏ธ

The Mindset Shift ๐ŸŽญ

This experience inspired me to write one of my quotes

Stubbornness is a tool to master, not a weapon to be used against yourself.
~ Muskan (that's me! ๐Ÿ˜„)

This quote wasn't just another addition to my collection - it became my debugger's mantra.
Think about it - we wouldn't force a dull knife to cut ๐Ÿ”ช. Why force a tired mind to code? ๐Ÿคฏ

Final Thoughts ๐Ÿ’ญ

Now I treat my mental energy like my most valuable debugging tool. Because let's face it - sometimes the best line of code is the one you write after a good break. ๐Ÿ˜Œ

Your Turn to Debug ๐Ÿช„

Next time you're in a coding battle, remember:

  1. Your brain is your IDE - it needs regular reboots ๐Ÿง 
  2. Breaks aren't bugs in your workflow - they're features ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป
  3. The best debuggers know when to close their laptops ๐Ÿ˜ด

Fun fact: Been dreaming about tech blogging forever, but needed that perfect push! ๐Ÿ’ญ
And there came Hadil Ben Abdallah with her incredible tech posts! ๐ŸŒŸ Thanks for being that spark! โšก

Happy coding, fellow debuggers! May your errors be obvious and your breaks be guilt-free. โœจ
~ Muskan Dodmani
Developer by day, Poem & Quote writer by night ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป

If this resonated with you, I'd love to hear your debugging war stories! ๐Ÿคฉ

Thanks for reading my first blog! Here's to many more developer adventures together! ๐Ÿ˜„โœจ

linkedIn.com ๐Ÿค | daily.dev ๐Ÿ™Œ | medium.com ๐Ÿ‘

Top comments (6)

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dale69 profile image
Dale69

Exactly the inspiration i neededโ€ฆI have started and stopped out of frustrationโ€ฆbut just needed to here thisโ€ฆthanksโ€ฆ

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muskan025 profile image
Muskan Dodmani

I'm so glad this resonated! ๐Ÿ˜„

Frustration is just enthusiasm in disguise
It shows up when we care enough to keep trying! Don't let it ghost you!!
Every time you restart, you're actually leveling up your resilience. ๐Ÿ’ช

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martinbaun profile image
Martin Baun

This really came at the right time because :P

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muskan025 profile image
Muskan Dodmani

Happy to know that my post arrived just in time ๐Ÿ˜„

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hadil profile image
Hadil Ben Abdallah

So cool ๐Ÿ˜ Thanks a lot for mentioning me ๐Ÿค Keep shining โœจ

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muskan025 profile image
Muskan Dodmani

My pleasure ๐Ÿฅฐ