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How I’ve Avoided Burnout During Decades as a Programmer

thecodist.com

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Re: How I’ve Avoided Burnout During Decades as a Programmer

#11

Post by LaFolle »

formula1 wrote: post #2

I really appreciate posts like these. Alot of posts that get popular on hacker news are about the struggle between management/developers and the best practice for success. This on the other hand is far more relatable to me. I am a developer that gets burnt out on jobs quickly and don't have a mentor I can look up to. A post like this gives me actions/patterns/history of someone that is still working and still wants t…

Agree. Virtually there are many people whom you can look up to, Linus Torvalds, Brian Kernighan so on and so forth, but having a mentor with whom you can talk face to face is something I really cherish. This post is like that mentor telling you what to do and what not.

Re: How I’ve Avoided Burnout During Decades as a Programmer

#12

Post by jordic »

galdosdi wrote: post #3

Good tips for preventing burnout before it happens! Anyone have any tips for how to recover from burnout _after_ it has already happened?

For me, learn something new, is the only think that relaxes me. ( for example if you don't use vim, learn it.. Or learn Emacs... )

Re: How I’ve Avoided Burnout During Decades as a Programmer

#14

Post by mikeklaas »

asteli wrote: post #5
galdosdi wrote: post #3

Good tips for preventing burnout before it happens! Anyone have any tips for how to recover from burnout _after_ it has already happened?

The first time I experienced burnout, I didn't fully understand what was happening, so I kept spending 12-16 hours a day staring at my desk. My productivity got close to zero for what I think was well over a month. In retrospect I think I should have: a.) accepted that I've begun to experience burnout b.) recognized that I would lose some output over this c.) talked to my boss and organized a week or two of out-of-of…

That can work if you are only mildly burnt out. A week or two is insufficient for most people.

Re: How I’ve Avoided Burnout During Decades as a Programmer

#16

Post by AndyNemmity »

I went into consulting and have found the very same things. Before consulting, I was never burned out, and loved my job a lot. I could imagine doing it forever.

Now, I can't wait for it to end, am in a consistent state of burnt out. I have to work infinite hours to keep up.

I didn't really understand this before I took the job, would have been good reading as I tried to decide what was next in my career.

At the same time, I've learned a lot from consulting, and am much more effective now. So good lessons, but not worth the overall cost.

Re: How I’ve Avoided Burnout During Decades as a Programmer

#19

Post by mlvljr »

wallflower wrote: post #4

"If you don't learn anything new, eventually you not only will hate your job you might not even have one anymore!" This is true. I know many people who are in a job that they do not particularly love. And they stay because of intangible benefits like flexible work schedules or ability to work remote or sabbaticals. And I worry a little about what will happen if they ever need to find another job with their specialize…

Dude :)

(was touching)

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