Ask HN: Developer's mind and withdrawing process
Practically the effect of that could be felt, for example, when the developer starts the Eclipse and takes a look at the relatively long method list in the Outline-window. He might notice that unlike earlier, the method names don't anymore "tell" him so much. Earlier he could kind of see and feel the whole architecture of the web app, he had been building, easily. Now it actually takes some effort to understand all the nuances, quickly. However, if it is only a few days, when he last time did something with the product in question, it is probably quite easy to get into again (after short "warm-upping and activation" phase).
Or is just temporary lack of dopamine? Try also comparing this to approaching a city by a car from a distance.
Could this happen more commonly, if the developer is also the one, who is responsible to many different kind of stakeholders, so he is kind of forced to orientate differently at times?