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Getting rid of burnout permanently

kentnguyen.com

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Re: Getting rid of burnout permanently

#31

Post by greggman »

normloman wrote: post #22

Um... Not work so hard? I'm not a programmer, so I'm viewing the stuff on hacker news from outside the bubble, so to speak. And from here, y'all look crazy. To the average person, spending extra hours at work with no overtime pay is absurd, but you all discuss it like it's no big deal. Your industry needs a huge cultural overhaul. People must be trained not to accept burnout as normal.

I program because I love it. It's my hobby. I quit my job a 14 months ago. 5 months ago I thought of an idea I wanted to pursue. I've been spending 8-12 hours a day 5-6 days a week on it since then.

I'm sorry you apparently picked a career you don't get real enjoyment from. Those of us that picked something we love don't see doing it a lot as a negative. We see it as just that, doing something we love.

Re: Getting rid of burnout permanently

#32

Post by Kabacaru »

throwawayaway wrote: post #26
dsirijus wrote: post #25

> there were times when I got completely burnt out as often as once every few days Hm, maybe we call two different things a burnout . I had it twice, one ending in a visit to ER, the other one blasting a single song at max volume for 20h then crying and trying to quit my job. I don't think the author actually had one, at least not by my definition of it. That aside, my main cause of burnouts was working extremely har…

both of those sound like nervous breakdowns.

Which is what a bad burnout is.

Re: Getting rid of burnout permanently

#33

Post by mkal_tsr »

normloman wrote: post #22

Um... Not work so hard? I'm not a programmer, so I'm viewing the stuff on hacker news from outside the bubble, so to speak. And from here, y'all look crazy. To the average person, spending extra hours at work with no overtime pay is absurd, but you all discuss it like it's no big deal. Your industry needs a huge cultural overhaul. People must be trained not to accept burnout as normal.

> I'm not a programmer

and

> Your industry needs a huge cultural overhaul

aka, "I don't have your perspective but let me tell you why you're all wrong"

Re: Getting rid of burnout permanently

#34

Post by noir_lord »

Fantastic Article.

Three weeks ago I hit absolute rock bottom with exhaustion from working hard for the last 2 years (I worked out I've been working 70-80 hour weeks since Dev 2010 with 8 days off in 4 years).

I resolved to get my life sorted out, I cut back work hours drastically, started riding my bike more and went to the Doctors to get help with sleeping tablets and pain management (the last 3 months I've been waiting for a double wisdom extraction) and stopped trying to carry the world and it's problems on my shoulders.

Later that week I found in a fairly horrible way that my partner of 7 years had cheated on me and I threw her out.

I stuck with the resolution I'd made to keep changing my life.

Now I'm sat at work taking a break after writing some really nice code to handle a problem that had stumped me for a month, I'll pack up for the day in a couple of hours then I'm going home to have a shower and going out on my bike for a 45 mile ride then home, netflix documentary and sleep.

In the last month I nearly destroyed my business, my health and my wellbeing as well as losing a long term relationship and I'm happier today than I have been in 4 years.

I have off moments but I just remember how bad I felt when I was sat at 2am watching the moon wishing everything would end and that they will pass in time.

The anxiety attacks have just about gone completely and meditation seems to control the ones that I do get.

I've also realised that none of this stuff business, relationship or whatever is worth sacrificing my own long term happiness over, I was miserable for 4 years, no more.

Re: Getting rid of burnout permanently

#35

Post by hack_edu »

greggman wrote: post #31
normloman wrote: post #22

Um... Not work so hard? I'm not a programmer, so I'm viewing the stuff on hacker news from outside the bubble, so to speak. And from here, y'all look crazy. To the average person, spending extra hours at work with no overtime pay is absurd, but you all discuss it like it's no big deal. Your industry needs a huge cultural overhaul. People must be trained not to accept burnout as normal.

I program because I love it. It's my hobby. I quit my job a 14 months ago. 5 months ago I thought of an idea I wanted to pursue. I've been spending 8-12 hours a day 5-6 days a week on it since then. I'm sorry you apparently picked a career you don't get real enjoyment from. Those of us that picked something we love don't see doing it a lot as a negative. We see it as just that, doing something we love.

Oh to be young again...

Re: Getting rid of burnout permanently

#36

Post by Loughla »

mkal_tsr wrote: post #33
normloman wrote: post #22

Um... Not work so hard? I'm not a programmer, so I'm viewing the stuff on hacker news from outside the bubble, so to speak. And from here, y'all look crazy. To the average person, spending extra hours at work with no overtime pay is absurd, but you all discuss it like it's no big deal. Your industry needs a huge cultural overhaul. People must be trained not to accept burnout as normal.

> I'm not a programmer and > Your industry needs a huge cultural overhaul aka, "I don't have your perspective but let me tell you why you're all wrong"

aka, "I don't have your perspective, so here's an outsider's point of view." Don't be so confrontational about it. OP wasn't confrontational, merely pointing out what seems to be a terrifying part of your culture from the outside. The fact that avoiding burnout is a regular topic on HN is very telling.

You don't honestly believe that burnout is a natural part of working, do you?

Re: Getting rid of burnout permanently

#37

Post by kelukelugames »

normloman wrote: post #22

Um... Not work so hard? I'm not a programmer, so I'm viewing the stuff on hacker news from outside the bubble, so to speak. And from here, y'all look crazy. To the average person, spending extra hours at work with no overtime pay is absurd, but you all discuss it like it's no big deal. Your industry needs a huge cultural overhaul. People must be trained not to accept burnout as normal.

My company actively encourages people to not over work. The CEO shot down a nap room because it implies people should stay longer.

Re: Getting rid of burnout permanently

#38

Post by cylinder »

normloman wrote: post #22

Um... Not work so hard? I'm not a programmer, so I'm viewing the stuff on hacker news from outside the bubble, so to speak. And from here, y'all look crazy. To the average person, spending extra hours at work with no overtime pay is absurd, but you all discuss it like it's no big deal. Your industry needs a huge cultural overhaul. People must be trained not to accept burnout as normal.

I'm not a programmer, but I burnout from being bored and unsatisfied with my work, I even get burnt out from feeling like I'm not doing enough. If I'm doing something engaging and exciting I'm more than happy to work long hours.

Re: Getting rid of burnout permanently

#39

Post by rip747 »

greggman wrote: post #31
normloman wrote: post #22

Um... Not work so hard? I'm not a programmer, so I'm viewing the stuff on hacker news from outside the bubble, so to speak. And from here, y'all look crazy. To the average person, spending extra hours at work with no overtime pay is absurd, but you all discuss it like it's no big deal. Your industry needs a huge cultural overhaul. People must be trained not to accept burnout as normal.

I program because I love it. It's my hobby. I quit my job a 14 months ago. 5 months ago I thought of an idea I wanted to pursue. I've been spending 8-12 hours a day 5-6 days a week on it since then. I'm sorry you apparently picked a career you don't get real enjoyment from. Those of us that picked something we love don't see doing it a lot as a negative. We see it as just that, doing something we love.

working on your own stuff for 8-12 hours a day 5-6 days a week is WAAAAY different then working 8-12 hours a day 5-6 days a week for someone else and not getting compensated. Your comparison is a complete miss.
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