[znt]

Taking a nap.

Seriously, the most difficult problems I've faced have been solved easily just after taking a quick nap (30 - 40 mins). Most of the time it comes to the point that there's no solutions in the horizon, I'm pulling my hair out and biting on my keyboard and then, a quick nap later most of the problem is solved in 20 mins when I sit in front of my computer again. It's got probably something to do with unconcscious mind.

But the problem is employers may not see this "sleeping to solve problems" act as productive as you do. I read that Google has "nap rooms", and I'll definitely have one of those when I start a company.

[plainOldText]

Actually by taking a nap you are doing something really cool.

Let me explain:

You are actually inviting your right hemisphere(the creative side of your brain) to come out and play. The right hemisphere cannot be forced into thinking that much so by taking a nap you are actually letting the unconscious work for you.

As a really interesting side note, Thomas Edison used to take a nap whenever faced a difficult problem. He used to nap with ball-bearings in his hand and when he would fall into a deep sleep dropping the ball-bearings would wake him up, and he would wake up and tackle the problem. :)

[ghotli]

I've heard this left-brain right-brain stuff before and I'd like to know where it comes from. Do you have any sources you can link to?

[Retric]

It's related to early brain research which discovered some left right specialization. Medically it's been mostly debunked, but for some reason "Pseudo Science" people really latched on to the term.

PS: By “debunked” it was discovered that the brain has more plasticity in how and where specific tasks where preformed that initially assumed. Also the high level understanding of what doing “Math” or “Poetry” has little connection to how the brain actually does this stuff. EX: Some people can count time accurately why reading other people can’t. The most probable explanation as you grow up the brain chooses how to approach high level problems in a fairly arbitrary fashion.

[plainOldText]

I've read about it in a book called "Pragmatic Thinking and Learning" by Andy Hunt.

[nicholasjbs]

I can't agree with this enough, though I've found that the sweet spot for me is a 20-minute power nap. Any longer than that and I feel groggy rather than refreshed when I wake up and start coding again.