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Ask HN: How do you know if you're burnt out or just being lazy?

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Re: Ask HN: How do you know if you're burnt out or just being lazy?

#71

Post by runjake »

madaxe wrote: post #23
ekidd wrote: post #21

First, check the essentials: Are you sleeping, eating decent food, and exercising regularly? If not, you may be neither burnt out nor lazy. Take care of this stuff first. Second, have you spent the last year working so hard that nothing short of a physical illness will make you slow down? Do you regularly push through problems with sheer willpower? Do you crave the next "green" unit test result beyond all sanity? If…

What you describe there is laziness. Burnout is this weird concept that developers have invented to describe "I can't be bothered to keep going". 5 years, no days off, one 5 day holiday per year, on call 24/7 for the duration, and I'm just fine. Depressed and exhausted, yes, but the work keeps flowing in and the code keeps flowing out, which is all that matters. I guess what I'm getting at is that people have forgott…

You must be young. Not that there's a problem with that, as the young usually innovate and put a lot of youthful energy into progress.

As you get older and/or start a family, the thought of 80+ hours a week becomes laughable and even dread-inducing.

If work is hard, I'm probably going to look at a different career. Hard implies suffering and unpleasant obstacles to me. If it's challenging however...

Re: Ask HN: How do you know if you're burnt out or just being lazy?

#72

Post by dm01 »

ekidd wrote: post #21

First, check the essentials: Are you sleeping, eating decent food, and exercising regularly? If not, you may be neither burnt out nor lazy. Take care of this stuff first. Second, have you spent the last year working so hard that nothing short of a physical illness will make you slow down? Do you regularly push through problems with sheer willpower? Do you crave the next "green" unit test result beyond all sanity? If…

Out of curiosity, could you provide some more info on Pomodoro techniques? Never heard of it until you mentioned this, and am curious to learn more / understand how it can be effective in software. To me, context switching can be very costly, so I am very skeptical of breaking off my concentration every 25 minutes. Thanks in advance!

Re: Ask HN: How do you know if you're burnt out or just being lazy?

#73

Post by TheCapn »

manuscreationis wrote: post #40
madaxe wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's fine once you adjust your value system to recognise that work is life, and that everything else is basically irrelevant. No family to speak of (apart from the ones who expect a monthly cheque from me (brother, aunt, mother)), co-workers are employees, so not appropriate for me to talk about it with them!

This has to be a well-executed joke... Or someone who has severely lost track of perspective. You know it's done well when you really can't tell.

My interpretation is that he's too shy to ask for help. Most manic depressants are just that, depressed, they hide in their hole and someone has to dig them out (possibly themselves).

Posting self-loathing material is subtle for someone to come along and pick up their shoulders. They know what they're doing is unhealthy or irregular but won't outright admit it because it shows weakness. "My life sucks but I march on and continue to produce acceptable deliverables" is a pride thing.

tl;dr - start slowly, admit that you can improve your life and STILL churn out those code snippets and you'll find yourself happier!

Re: Ask HN: How do you know if you're burnt out or just being lazy?

#74

Post by [deleted] »

madaxe wrote: post #29
derwildemomo wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That code you're writing in the 79th hour must be of astonishing quality! Seriously, I don't see how anyone can be productive after, say, 50 hours or so..

Lots of caffeine, and flogging myself as hard as I can to keep going.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: How do you know if you're burnt out or just being lazy?

#75

Post by Fliko »

madaxe wrote: post #31
MJR wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depressed and exhausted, yes, but the work keeps flowing in and the code keeps flowing out You call that just fine? This is not fine. This is not healthy and this is the attitude you should be fighting against. If you honestly think that you are a better person and you produce your best work when you're exhausted and depressed, you should probably get some other opinions on that, because I have a strong feeling that…

It's fine once you adjust your value system to recognise that work is life, and that everything else is basically irrelevant. No family to speak of (apart from the ones who expect a monthly cheque from me (brother, aunt, mother)), co-workers are employees, so not appropriate for me to talk about it with them!

No dude! It's cool if what you value in your life is work but plenty of people work to live. Jobs shouldn't require you to put in 80 hour work weeks, that should be the choice of the individual.

Re: Ask HN: How do you know if you're burnt out or just being lazy?

#76

Post by mzarate06 »

A lot of the answers are subective, that's b/c, as individuals, our tolerances vary so much. So regardless of what we say, you're still likely to experience burn out (if you haven't already). I know when I'm burned out when I have no motivation to sit in front of my computer. Unfortunately, the last time I felt that way I quit my high paying job and spent the next several months in a horrible place - mentally, physically, and emotionally. So at some point you'll realize your personal limits. With that said, my reason for posting isn't in regard to the before part, but rather the after - I've found that once you experience burn out, you're more susceptible to it in the future.

That's usually a bad thing; obviously you won't want to experience burn out again. However, sometimes it can have a positive yield in the long run. I've found that after my burn out experience, I've raised the bar in terms of the type of work I'm willing to do and how much crap I put up with. For example, I've always been passionate about home-run level customer service. As a consultant, that belief usually meant that I bent backwards anytime a client asked me to. I still have that belief today, but I tend to push back if they ask me to do things I won't be happy maintaining for the life of their product, or if it'll involve trying to hit an unrealistic time line, etc. So post burn out, I'm definitely more protective of my limits and happiness, I just wish I would've been this way sooner.

Re: Ask HN: How do you know if you're burnt out or just being lazy?

#77

Post by andrewcooke »

madaxe wrote: post #44
singular wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is a very unethical comment. Not impressed. The last thing somebody who is suffering from burn out and possibly depression needs to hear is that it's their own fault for being lazy. It only leads to making the problem deeper + worse, and can be a very dangerous mindset. I'd be careful to consider whether it's the right course for you too, given you report feeling exhausted and depressed. Even if so, and you see…

Actually, I just wanted to see if, on a thread about Burn-out, anyone would recognise it when they see it. Evidently, not. I'm in the fun dichotomy of knowing damned well that I'm at the end of my tether, burned-out beyond belief, and not having the time or energy to do a bloody thing about it. I work, from the moment I wake to the moment I fall asleep on my laptop, to the moment I'm woken 20 minutes later by a clien…

it's up to you, but i have been in a similar situation, and it damaged me more than i thought possible at the time. if you're like me, you're currently taking a grim pride in carrying this.

for what it's worth, if i could send a message back to my past self, i would tell him to stop. 10 years down the line the bad has outlasted the good.

Re: Ask HN: How do you know if you're burnt out or just being lazy?

#78

Post by danshapiro »

madaxe wrote: post #23
ekidd wrote: post #21

First, check the essentials: Are you sleeping, eating decent food, and exercising regularly? If not, you may be neither burnt out nor lazy. Take care of this stuff first. Second, have you spent the last year working so hard that nothing short of a physical illness will make you slow down? Do you regularly push through problems with sheer willpower? Do you crave the next "green" unit test result beyond all sanity? If…

What you describe there is laziness. Burnout is this weird concept that developers have invented to describe "I can't be bothered to keep going". 5 years, no days off, one 5 day holiday per year, on call 24/7 for the duration, and I'm just fine. Depressed and exhausted, yes, but the work keeps flowing in and the code keeps flowing out, which is all that matters. I guess what I'm getting at is that people have forgott…

Why was this downvoted? Because people disagree with it?

I do too, but it does appear to represent a legitimate answer to the OP's question.

Re: Ask HN: How do you know if you're burnt out or just being lazy?

#79

Post by uast23 »

runjake wrote: post #70
uast23 wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "Yes, I am, but only because I have money. Before I was just weird" Not sure about the history of this woman but I am sure that she didn't inherit the money, she made it.

Daniel made no indication that she inherited it or otherwise didn't earn it.

That particular statement reflects a lot of experience and maturity and I was just appreciating that. Nothing to do with Daniel.

Re: Ask HN: How do you know if you're burnt out or just being lazy?

#80

Post by SSHisForWienies »

i do not know about you but its often good to get out of work leave it all for a couple of days. Have drink visit a concert spend a long weekend with your kids / wife / friends, seriously take a break. it will refresh and energize you.

And if we where not lazy we wouldnt invent computers robots remote control etc.. usually the time your not working you get the best insights. so therfore it's not good to work hard. It isnt even good for a donkey to work har why would it be good for you?

Because you miss the adrenaline if thats the reason you got yourself a recipe for burning out divorce and alcoholism Understand the mind is the most valuable tool you have. Try some yoga / budhistic meditation and you will reward what's between your ears better, and make better use of it.

if your work simply is boring decide what else to do dont let it spoil you, to many people get spoiled that way.

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