[tropshop]

If I walk away in the middle of an unsolved problem, it persists in the back of my mind and is mentally exhausting. I won't be able to sleep or let go of the problem; only potential solutions race around my mind.

However, if there is a clear boundary of work accomplished, I break the build with a simple syntax error and avoid thinking about the next task. I can step away from work completely, without any lingering thoughts, and the next time I am back at it, the syntax error helps me jump in right where I left off.

[taneq]

> I break the build with a simple syntax error

I do this by literally writing, in plain (albeit sometimes colourful) text, what I was doing at the point I had to stop. Then when I come back to it later and hit build, the compiler reminds me where I left off.

[brett40324]

I like the intentional syntax error approach here. That's way better than times I've done: /* NOTE: you left off here!!! */

[rkangel]

I use #error (and on compilers that support it #warning) to leave unignorable messages over my codebase for things that need doing.

[taneq]

Just leave the start/end comment off it and it works just as well. :D