JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<input type="button" onclick="stop();" value="stop it!!!" /> &emsp;
<input type="button" onclick="continueWithIt();" value="continue" />

<div id='foo'> </div>

JavaScript

var flag = true;
function foo(){
    if (flag){
        $('<span> working in the background </span> <br>').appendTo($('#foo'));
        
        
        setTimeout(foo, 500);
    }
}

function stop(){
    flag = false;
}
function continueWithIt(){
    flag = true;
    foo();
}

foo();