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Tell HN: Burnout is bad to your brain, take care

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Re: Tell HN: Burnout is bad to your brain, take care

#41

Post by dlahoda »

it was fun for me.

i just forgot how to do my job. not exact operations or how to code. by what is exactly my job consist of what. for year like. and at same time appeared i started to do my job better as per 3rd parties feedback.

also i was thinking i am clever, but after just came realization i am far from. so i did learn some math and what are other people really are to catch up with the world.

just learn math, hear what boss/wife/child tell, no coffee , and some meditation of absolutely any kind.

after some years, i feel life as like walking in a forest with animals and random forestfires here and there.

Re: Tell HN: Burnout is bad to your brain, take care

#43

Post by andrei_says_ »

primitivesuave wrote: post #15

I burned out around 3 years ago and couldn't fix it with a year of traveling the world and working on side projects - thankfully I discovered Vipassana meditation which helped me bounce back stronger than ever. Hopefully someone else in a similar situation might find this potential solution useful.

What in Vipassana helped the most? Refocusing on the body? Focusing on equinimity? Recalibrating the mind once or twice a day? Something else?

Re: Tell HN: Burnout is bad to your brain, take care

#44

Post by mizzao »

I experienced several episodes of what I thought was burnout (from all the symptoms often described), but in retrospect were periodic recurring depressions from type 2 bipolar disorder, triggered by stress.

PSA for anyone who might have the same situation — if you've experienced anything that resembles hypomania this may be worth investigating. The average time from first bipolar depression to diagnosis is 10 years, and I mistook several depressions for burnout while doing plenty of damage to my career and personal life during that time.

This is one of the best books on the topic: https://www.amazon.com/Depressed-Recognizing-Managing-Bipola...

Re: Tell HN: Burnout is bad to your brain, take care

#45

Post by chrnola »

siamese_puff wrote: post #34

What to do? My company dropped support for therapy, I pay $4k a month in rent and feel I probably just won’t wake up some days. I wouldn’t mind taking a break, but the nonstop posts about not being able to get a job don’t help. Have never felt more trapped.

Same. I would rather put up with being burnt out than subject myself to interviewing. Ridiculous.

Re: Tell HN: Burnout is bad to your brain, take care

#46

Post by al_borland »

noobermin wrote: post #30

I've been burned out for two years after moving to a new country to work in one of the worst post-docs of my life. But, I've found I have no one to rely on but myself because employers don't care that you're burned out, they want to keep up their kpis. Sometimes you have to work even if you're already unhealthy. By the way, this isn't a "when the going gets tough" sort-of post, I'm just stating the reality of life.

My company sends out blasts to everyone that tells us to take care of our mental health and stuff like that, but it’s all a show. Our actually managers drive us into the ground and any sign of weakness are met with a kick while the person is down. Everyone I work with is burned out and miserable, but too scared to say anything about it or take the time they need. Hearing grown men break down and cry on calls isn’t fun. I’ve heard it several times now.

At this point, quitting seems like the only option. However, I’m in what should be the best earning years of my life, and it seems like any new job would mean a pay cut. I don’t want to cut my legs out from under myself… especially when a new job is an unknown, it could be even worse. I also have this idea in my head that I would be able to be mentally strong enough to find happiness in any situation, and if I run away from something bad, rather than being pulled toward something better, than I won’t grow as a person.

Re: Tell HN: Burnout is bad to your brain, take care

#47

Post by kody »

burningChrome wrote: post #38

Early on in my career (I was a late bloomer and already in early 30's) as a developer, I got burnt out pretty bad twice. After the second time and teetering on a third, I knew I had to do something to change what I was doing and how I managed my work load. I just focused on getting MY stuff done and that was it. I stopped taking on other's people work. I stopped taking on more work once I got my stuff done. I would d…

I'm really curious, how do you factor in time to learn ("up skill")?

I'm a self taught dev with 2 young kids. I've always had a healthy approach to work, but now I'm feeling quite a lot of pressure to learn new things on my own time, whether to make sure I'm prepared for the interview circuit if I get laid off, or to patch my skills that are needed at work.

I'm starting to feel burnout creep in, getting an hour of study in the morning, taking care of family, and then working 8 hours.

I appreciate your insight.

Re: Tell HN: Burnout is bad to your brain, take care

#48

Post by ants_everywhere »

In my opinion, everyone should try therapy at least once.

Just like you have a primary care physician for your general health, a dentist for your teeth, it makes sense to have a medical professional to help you with your brain.

I think of it as a best practice. Can you get by with out it? Sure. Will you be doing things optimally? Definitely not.

Re: Tell HN: Burnout is bad to your brain, take care

#50

Post by al_borland »

parpfish wrote: post #22
VonGuard wrote: post #5

The number one trait I have seen in people who are burned out is that they utterly and completely deny they are burned out. They often furiously push back on the idea. "I cannot possibly be burned out, because I have way too much to do," or something less articulate. Admitting you're burned out is the fist step on the path back. It can take years to get back to normal and have passion again. But it will return if you…

A related trait is people who tie their self identify up with their job. When your identity is “person who does this job”, it’s hard to see that you’re doing the job too much. And even if you do have that realization, it opens up a new struggle to figure out what you’re supposed to do if you’re not doing the job.

This was (and still is) one of my issues. I had the realization that I need a life, so I stopped working 60-80 hour weeks, but didn’t have anything to fill the time with… and even if I did, I’m too burned out to do anything.
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