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Every month, Molly has to write a large report that takes around five hours. Every month, she dreads it.

Recently, she learned a technique that has helped her no longer feel like the task hangs over her. The task is still exhausting, but the anticipation of it doesn't add an extra layer of fatigue like it used to.

"Pair programming" is a social, collaborative way of working where two people sit at one workstation and solve a single problem together.

The core technique is incredibly valuable for many types of work, far beyond just programming or computer work. You can strip the word "programming" and think of it as any paired work.

Pair programming (or paired work) involves one person taking on the driver role and one the navigator role.

The driver is focused on the mechanical work. They're the hands and the close-in brain.

The navigator is watching, spotting errors, and thinking about the big picture.

Imagine "pair cooking," where the navigator reads the recipe and the driver assembles it. The navigator keeps an eye out for errors, like if the driver forgot to set a timer or reaches for a tablespoon instead of a........

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