Stepping Back Can Be the Smartest Move—In Code and in Life

A couple of weeks ago, I had to take a step back—from work, from posting, and from my usual rhythm—due to some family health issues. It wasn’t an easy decision. Like many of us, I often feel the pressure to keep pushing, to keep grinding, to stay in motion no matter what. But life had other plans. And as tough as it was to pause, it reminded me of a lesson I’ve learned time and time again throughout my career: Progress doesn’t always come from pushing harder. Sometimes, it comes from stepping away, reassessing, and coming back with a clearer mind. When I reflect on the biggest technical challenges I’ve tackled over the years, the breakthroughs rarely happened because I brute-forced my way through. They happened when I: Stepped away from the problem to clear my head Returned with a fresh perspective Realized a simpler solution had been right in front of me the whole time Whether I was debugging a stubborn issue, questioning a design decision, or just trying to survive a tough sprint—giving myself permission to pause made me a better developer. Now that I’m back, I’m looking forward to sharing more stories from the trenches: technical wins, real-world struggles, and the mindset shifts that made a real difference in my journey. How about you? Have you ever stepped away from a problem, only to come back and solve it faster? How do you balance your technical growth with taking care of yourself?

Apr 18, 2025 - 11:27

Stepping Back Can Be the Smartest Move—In Code and in Life

A couple of weeks ago, I had to take a step back—from work, from posting, and from my usual rhythm—due to some family health issues.

It wasn’t an easy decision. Like many of us, I often feel the pressure to keep pushing, to keep grinding, to stay in motion no matter what. But life had other plans. And as tough as it was to pause, it reminded me of a lesson I’ve learned time and time again throughout my career:

Progress doesn’t always come from pushing harder.

Sometimes, it comes from stepping away, reassessing, and coming back with a clearer mind.

When I reflect on the biggest technical challenges I’ve tackled over the years, the breakthroughs rarely happened because I brute-forced my way through.
They happened when I:

Stepped away from the problem to clear my head

Returned with a fresh perspective

Realized a simpler solution had been right in front of me the whole time

Whether I was debugging a stubborn issue, questioning a design decision, or just trying to survive a tough sprint—giving myself permission to pause made me a better developer.

Now that I’m back, I’m looking forward to sharing more stories from the trenches: technical wins, real-world struggles, and the mindset shifts that made a real difference in my journey.

How about you?
Have you ever stepped away from a problem, only to come back and solve it faster?
How do you balance your technical growth with taking care of yourself?