Playful Energy

I once tackled a massive overhaul of a marketing site and web application, going deep into the codebase to revise every line of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. There were hundreds of unique screens, each needing a rewrite, testing, and responsive design.

Despite my love for the work, the vast scope and repetition soon sapped my energy. A particularly grueling day felt like an endless slog through thick mud. My monitor’s screen dissolved into a blur, thoughts drifted, and fingers stiffened, making each line of code a monumental effort to write.

So, I took a break.

I shifted focus to a personal passion project: a website to organize my animated GIFs collection, searchable by categories. I also created a Google Chrome Extension that displayed a random GIF from my collection when opening a new tab.

This detour was goofy and weird, yet playful.

Surprisingly, this playful interlude replenished my energy. Returning to the project, I felt reinvigorated with a surge of purpose and passion. My skills seemed sharpened, allowing for quicker, more efficient coding. Clarity returned to my screen, focus to my mind, and swiftness to my fingers. This pause, paradoxically, increased my efficiency.

The experience taught me a valuable lesson: Make time for play. It’s essential to step away and recharge, not just for the sake of well-being, but to enhance productivity.

Slow down to speed up.