Ask HN: 9-5 burnout? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: 9-5 burnout?

#21

Post by zackmorris » Sat, Mar 31, 2018, 6:30 PM UTC

Just in case this is an XY problem, maybe looking at the question in a different light could help. Instead of asking why we are burned out, maybe we could ask why we feel burned out.

For me, the opportunity cost of being burned out is that I can't summon the energy to work on my side projects and hobbies. It really kills me that every day I come home and have hours that I could spend coding or building something, but instead I just watch TV over a beer.

A couple of people closest to me say to just do all the things. So they are advocating discipline which is great and something I could probably find again if I was more disciplined.

My gut feeling though is that the issue might be more complicated than that. From prior experience, I know my odds of failure at any side project I attempt are somewhere around 90% if I measure them in terms of monetary gain. So I'm subconsciously multiplying the cost/benefit analysis by 10 and getting discouraged. But if I remove risk from the equation, maybe by working on something low-risk like an open source project or learning a skill I don't know (like playing music), then maybe I could get closer to feeling rewarded by tinkering instead of drained. Then I could build on that and add more ambitious projects over time (in theory).

Re: Ask HN: 9-5 burnout?

#22

Post by parttimethrow » Mon, Apr 02, 2018, 2:22 AM UTC

I feel exactly the same way as you do. (I thought I was the only one who feel like I just want to relax and do nothing in the evening even though only working a 9-5 office job!)

I'm at a relatively 9-5 job now (aside from occasional week nights or weekends emergency response work). The thing is, I've been in 60-hour jobs (even 80-hour in some cases) before. I know what that feels like. I know what true burn-out is. I've even done that for 5 years. It was a cool experience when I was younger. I keep thinking that, my job is 9-5 now, I really shouldn't be feeling burn-out. But I am.

I blame it on the commute a lot; in Silicon Valley, a normally 40-minute drive becomes 1.5 hour one way, and 3 hours a day is a lot of time to spend on the road, and it's taxing. I know it's a huge part of the reason to feel burn-out. Like you, I'm also in the position of a team lead. I already have a one day a week WFH arrangement. It's helping me survive and not quit the job, but it's only borderline acceptable. I feel like I can't move to more WFH days. But having read itamarst's comment, I feel like maybe I should ask. I would probably feel better if I either WFH 2 days or, just work only 4 days and WFH 1 of those 4 days.

Re: Ask HN: 9-5 burnout?

#23

Post by Kevin_S » Mon, Apr 02, 2018, 2:29 PM UTC

I've spent 2 years doing 8-5 and it just doesn't work for me. I'm going back to school and becoming an academic. The requirement to be here is what hurts the most, I'll happily work more hours as long as they are flexible and on my own accord, in my own space.

I am counting down the days.