Do not wait until the last second to ask for help
One of my strong attributes as a programmer is that I can sit and stare all day at a bunch of code that has a problem and eventually figure out what the weird problem is. A strange side effect of that ability is that sometimes I will be working on things that are pretty easy and just miss the relatively easy thing.
The big problem is knowing how to long to work on something before realizing that you need help.
I have learned over the years that if I spend more than about 15-30 minutes and make zero progress, it is time to bounce the idea off of somebody else.
Asking for help when you are stuck on a project is beneficial for a several reasons.
- Gets you to describe the problem out loud which sometimes makes the problem very obvious.
- Gives your brain a little rest from actively working on the problem. When you over focus on the problem, you develop a tunnel vision. Walking to another desk will break the tunnel vision and help open your mind to other options.
- A new set of eyes has a good chance of quickly seeing the misspelled word or misplace period or other obvious errors.
- Builds camaraderie with coworkers. If you open up to accepting help from them, they will be more likely to come to you for help. Everybody wins when coworkers are comfortable helping each other.
You should always remember to ask people if they have time before starting to explain your project. Always be prepared to go away and come back later if they are busy. If the advice they give you is obviously wrong, be careful to respond gently. After all, if the answer was really easy you would not be asking them for help.
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