Raka_Putra posted...
Critical Stress Theory
You get too stressed when attempting it that it diminishes your skill and cognition. When you return with fresh eyes, it's easier to beat.
Is that an actual term? Because yeah, I think that describes a lot of things.
In gaming, I've had this happen with things like the Chocobo Racing in FFX, but I think it even extends beyond gaming. As a kid I learned violin and piano and I often found that wrestling with a section of a piece for too long actually made me worse at it, so I would take breaks and come back and it'd be much better.
Even in my current job as a teacher, if I've been working on a lesson for a long time trying to make it better, I worry so much about it and I get so stressed thinking about it, but after a few hours' break, I oftentimes come back and it only takes 10-15 minutes for me to perfect it.
Tyranthraxus posted...
Incubation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incubation_(psychology)#
This is another good explanation too.
I'm just not sure which one is right - I think they're both right depending on the situation. When you take a break, I think you do *BOTH* - you rest and improve your cognitive and physical skills as a result, and you also think a bit more about what you'll do and come up with a better plan of attack. I think the old adage of "work smarter, not harder" absolutely true...although we do have to make sure that we don't fall into the trap of thinking that not working harder automatically means you're working smarter, since you could just be being lazy.