Ask HN: Has anyone managed to find enjoyment in their work after burnout?

Post by spacemadness » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 4:06 PM UTC

Waterluvian wrote: post #199

highwaylights wrote: post #96

This advice is going to be hated by a lot of people but.. care less. You’re in an industry that values your skills and seems to always have demand. Whether or not that’s true in the future, it certainly is today , so the best thing you can do is put yourself first and worry less about work as a whole. Especially if it’s not your own company. Spend more time on you, on activities with friends and family, on hobbies. I…

Kind of this. I don't think it's "care less" but I think it's "care appropriately for 40 hours a week." The concept of "quiet quitting" is a shameful, panicky fraud perpetuated by the power holders in the industry that see their power slipping. "Quiet quitting" has been known as "work to rule" or "fulfilling a contract." My paystub says 40 hours. My original contract says nothing about overtime. I'm not quiet quittin…

Post by datavirtue » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 4:10 PM UTC

systemvoltage wrote: post #264

highwaylights wrote: post #96

This advice is going to be hated by a lot of people but.. care less. You’re in an industry that values your skills and seems to always have demand. Whether or not that’s true in the future, it certainly is today , so the best thing you can do is put yourself first and worry less about work as a whole. Especially if it’s not your own company. Spend more time on you, on activities with friends and family, on hobbies. I…

I respectfully disagree. Ignoring a major part of your life, that sustains you and your family, might be a luxury for people that get burned out with $450k salaries and have $2M in savings. Finding a good balance and pride in the 1/3rd of the life you spend, without being scornful is worth while. Build a good robust career, become an expert, have passion and perseverence, foster discpline; make a career that rewards…

Post by bsenftner » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 4:27 PM UTC

wnolens wrote: post #188

bsenftner wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps my ambition exposed me to the worst of our industry: Apple Macintosh pre-release developer (everything in Assembly), OS dev for both the 3D0 and the original PSX game consoles, was at E.A. during the E.A. Spouse Era, managed a game studio for several years while also coding on titles, was a director of R&D for the first Internet live video infrastructure provider, worked in feature film VFX across 9 features…

Do you consider yourself a victim? Holding the titles of director and principal means you used your position to reinforce this pattern, no?

Post by artificial » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 4:30 PM UTC

greyhair wrote: post #219

tapanjk wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My job is a side quest, not a main quest. Even if it were your main quest, I think the strategy you outline is worth following. Going all out is what causes burnout, and that applies to whether you are working for yourself or for someone else, and also whether you are working a job or working on your passion. A career is like an ultra marathon -- maintain a sustainable pace, and run with people you like to spend ti…

This ^^^^. I am in my thirty ninth year in embedded development, started the year I turned 27. (yeah, do the math) I have strictly limited myself to 40 hour weeks following a severe burnout in the late 1990s. I could retire now, if I had to, but I hope to do this for another three to five years. It is just far too interesting and fun. I had an older coworker that worked full time until he was 74. He also just enjoyed…

Post by 8note » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 4:34 PM UTC

winphone1974 wrote: post #176

thdespou wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1 Start doing Callisthenics. 100 pushups, 100 pullups, 100 squats and 6 miles of run every day will help you immensely. Eliminate excuse's.

This reads like a humble brag. You don't typically recommend "start exercising" then suggest a daily workout that even professional athletes wouldn't do