Programming · by Noé Petit · 2026-09-23
The thing nobody told me about debugging before coffee
Part of me wanted the fancy version with all the tools. The better version was boring: one notebook, one reminder, and a willingness to be clumsy with the playlist for a while.
My current rule is simple: if it takes less than 2 minutes to prepare, I am much more likely to keep doing it.
I know this is a tiny sample size, but after 9 attempts the pattern is pretty clear. When I keep the setup simple, I actually follow through.
Part of me wanted the fancy version with all the tools. The better version was boring: one notebook, one reminder, and a willingness to be clumsy with the routine for a while.
362 sparks · 43 comments
Comments
Oussama Alaoui · 402 likes
Love the tiny experiment energy. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me.
Mariam Al Mansoori · 48 likes
Honestly, this is a little too vague to be useful. It sounds small, but the route matters.
Amelia Hughes · 38 likes
Good reminder that boring can be good. I used to overcomplicate this constantly.
Jack Taylor · 37 likes
I would not call it wrong, just incomplete. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability.
Tola Ibrahim · 21 likes
I like the idea, but the setup probably matters a lot.
Mateo Cruz · 13 likes
The kindness in this post is lovely. My only addition is to make the first step visible.
Amina Okafor · 12 likes
Wonderful detail. It makes the whole thing feel real.
Noé Petit · 14 likes
Thanks, that actually helped.
Benjamín Rojas · 12 likes
This feels like advice from a patient friend. This is more useful on a tired winter than on a perfect day.
Jiho Lee · 10 likes
This made me smile more than expected. My only addition is to make the first step visible.
Sleepy Comet · 3 likes
I was going to disagree, but your second sentence got me.
Pixel Fern · 9 likes
Really good advice, and it feels doable. I learned that one the expensive way.
Élodie Favre · 7 likes
This has cozy competence written all over it. The 3-minute rule is underrated.
Noé Petit · 4 likes
@cometPilot37 I like this more than the top-level advice.
Maya Putri · 6 likes
That last line is excellent. The weekend version is even more interesting.
Mateo Cruz · 5 likes
I wanted to like this, but the before argument is weak. For me it came down to the setup.
Ren Suzuki · 4 likes
I had a similar experience, but my problem was consistency rather than motivation. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing.
Nusrat Akter · 4 likes
Good reminder that boring can be good. A little friction removed goes a long way.
Khalid Al Zahrani · 3 likes
There is probably a middle ground here. I am curious whether java still feels good next month.
Léa Bernard · 1 likes
The best answer in the thread, honestly.
Curious Runner · 2 likes
That sounds great until you add children/pets/deadlines.
Curious Orbit · 3 likes
This made me smile more than expected. I keep a note about architecture for exactly this reason. Good reminder that tools should serve people, not the reverse.
Quiet Fern · 2 likes
I am skeptical. The idea sounds good, but the maintenance cost is real. The social part surprised me too.
Maya Putri · 1 likes
This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. I learned that one the expensive way.
Nusrat Akter · 1 likes
Anecdotally, this tracks with what I have seen. I keep a note about tools for exactly this reason.
Mango Noodle · 1 likes
Amazing how much difference one small change can make. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.
Mia Bauer · 1 likes
I think this advice is overrated. I keep a note about tools for exactly this reason.
Mateo Cruz · 0 likes
Agree completely. The simple version is underrated. The social part surprised me too.
Noé Petit · 6 likes
I laughed, but you are not wrong.