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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?

#101

Post by exit »

jyrkesh wrote: post #88
sgentle wrote: post #39

Personally, I take issue with the entire "lazy" thing. I find most people who talk about laziness are using it as a way to avoid thinking deeply about their own motivation. "I am not getting work done, even though I want to. What aspects of this work are bringing me down? Do I have the resources to do this work properly? Can I think of any ways to make the work more appealing? Can I combine it with anything else that…

Wow. I've been going through something very similar to what you've just described, and this has really put it in perspective. I starting to realize that might my previous reasons for wanting to accomplish certain things aren't really good enough motivators for me and that I need to redefine my goals or realize why I'm truly doing what I'm doing. Thank you, seriously. I'm going to be linking this to more than a couple…

in a few months you'll also come to regard hn as a complete time sink

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

#102

Post by sixtofour »

Make sure you're healthy, if it's an issue with you.

I was fired for being slow. I was falling asleep at inappropriate times, and was generally feeling stupid, to the point that I hated myself for being stupid and lazy. This was particularly hard working in a company that constantly touts the superior abilities of its employees.

When I was finally fired it was an emotional relief. I ultimately got treatment, and I don't feel stupid or lazy anymore, but I haven't fully recovered from being fired.

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

#103

Post by Mikushi »

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!

I was saying the same thing not a month ago. Until one day, i completely flipped out during a meeting, stormed out, insulted the owner, and never came back.

I had been working way to much for the past 4years, and on the months leading to the melt down, it was just unhealthy, and i kept going at it, using drugs to keep up (i am deeply ashamed looking back...), barely sleeping and eating. And slowly it creep up on me, until i completely lost it. By my foolish attitude, i had not only burn myself (its been a month, i haven't been out of my place, i haven't written a line of code - i tried, but just the sight of it makes me sick -), but also hurt my co-workers and company, who in the process have lost their Chief Engineer and probably the project i was working on as well -months of work, and in the 6digits investment-.

There are people you can talk too, if it's not friends, professional help is there, i know how hard it can be to admit you've screwed up your life and health, but for your own sake, go get some help, before it is too late.

Because when your mind says stop, it'll be past the point where you can fix this "easily", and you'll be stuck with your decision for months, may be years. Take control of your situation, before your mind does it for you...

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

#104

Post by gtirloni »

exit wrote: post #101
jyrkesh wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow. I've been going through something very similar to what you've just described, and this has really put it in perspective. I starting to realize that might my previous reasons for wanting to accomplish certain things aren't really good enough motivators for me and that I need to redefine my goals or realize why I'm truly doing what I'm doing. Thank you, seriously. I'm going to be linking this to more than a couple…

in a few months you'll also come to regard hn as a complete time sink

already did. daily hacker news saved it. www.daemonology.net/hn-daily/

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

#106

Post by madaxe »

Mikushi wrote: post #103
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!

I was saying the same thing not a month ago. Until one day, i completely flipped out during a meeting, stormed out, insulted the owner, and never came back. I had been working way to much for the past 4years, and on the months leading to the melt down, it was just unhealthy, and i kept going at it, using drugs to keep up (i am deeply ashamed looking back...), barely sleeping and eating. And slowly it creep up on me,…

Yeah, I've reached a special place. Modafinil to work days on end without sleep, grass to force myself to sleep when I know I really need to.

I definitely need help, and I know it, but in the UK, the social stigma attached to seeing a mental healthcare professional exceeds that of going insane.

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