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Burnout

kristinn.ghost.io

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Re: Burnout

#41

Post by beebs93 »

daGrevis wrote: post #24

Here's a theory — an ideal job is a job that fulfills your desire to code to a level in which you don't want to do any coding after work hours. There's so much challenging tasks and new things you learn right away by doing things you are paid for that you don't need to search for something new after work.

I somewhat agree.

I'm fortunate enough to work in such a job, but keep in mind that it's those "holy crap I didn't know you could do it that way" moments that get you excited and can't wait to tinker with in on your own.

There's a difference between being a bored conveyor belt developer who feels unfulfilled at the end of the day and someone whose been given a new set of "lego" and cannot contain their curiosity.

Re: Burnout

#42

Post by EC1 »

mzarate06 wrote: post #17
EC1 wrote: post #3

> A few years ago I wanted to know everything. I spent the day at work thinking about what I would do when I got home and then spend the evening studying various things as hard as I could. I would stress over how there werent enought hours in the day to do what I wanted to do. There was rarely an hour in the day where I wasnt productive in some way. Oou, this resonates with me. For the past year I've been trying to o…

> For the past year I've been trying to optimize my life as best I could. This meant cutting out time for food ... [now] I cook all 7 days worth of food on Sunday nights ... it's working great. Have you considered intermittent fasting? I typically only eat 5 or 6 days out the week. Aside from the health benefits, IF lends itself to productivity; I love having days where I don't need to worry about food or cooking at…

I heat up one meal after I get home. Then a second meal towards the evening. Each 1200 calories. Allows me to smoke weed and indulge for a bit, and not gain weight. It's great because I'm a coffee addict so during the day I get to look forward to coffee every few hours, with the added benefit of not having an upset stomach or taking a shit at work frequently.

Re: Burnout

#43

Post by beebs93 »

goalieca wrote: post #37
jscheel wrote: post #16

I am finding that it's better to just leave the stupid computer off when I get home. It gives me more time with my wife and daughter, and I feel more rested and ready for the next day. For example, last Saturday was filled with bike rides, walks, and playing outside. That's it. Yes, I have a list of about 10,000 different things I'm interesting in learning and doing, and another list that size of things that actually…

Sometimes I find that instead of reading about tech and trying little hobby things at home, I'm better off trying to fit that into my work somehow. Even a full 8 hours of programming 5 days in a row can be enough to mentally drain you if you're actually working the whole time.

Excellent point. If you find yourself at a job where they discourage programmers from reading tech blogs once in a while then RUN. FOR. YOUR. FKING. LIFE.

Re: Burnout

#44

Post by jonalmeida »

chadillac wrote: post #35
daGrevis wrote: post #24

Here's a theory — an ideal job is a job that fulfills your desire to code to a level in which you don't want to do any coding after work hours. There's so much challenging tasks and new things you learn right away by doing things you are paid for that you don't need to search for something new after work.

I've found the contrary to be true lately. I was a serial burnout case. I'd crank hard for 3 or 4 months and it'd take me 6 months to recover. I've found more recently that it wasn't the projects at home or at work, it was a lack of diversity. Doing the same thing when I got home that I did all day burned me out because it wasn't any different. Coming home and working of stuff I can't work on at work be it new langua…

Quite true in terms of my work habits. At the end of the day, you want to learn something new, but you've given it 110% during the day that you can't get yourself to start a new hobby project.

In my case, I always seemed stuck back at the same mindset and mental "data structure" in my head, so it would be difficult to push it aside to make room for something new.

It might sound stupid, but it could also be the fear that I would lose said structure, and the next day would go entirely into rebuilding it.

Re: Burnout

#45

Post by mattwad »

chadillac wrote: post #35
daGrevis wrote: post #24

Here's a theory — an ideal job is a job that fulfills your desire to code to a level in which you don't want to do any coding after work hours. There's so much challenging tasks and new things you learn right away by doing things you are paid for that you don't need to search for something new after work.

I've found the contrary to be true lately. I was a serial burnout case. I'd crank hard for 3 or 4 months and it'd take me 6 months to recover. I've found more recently that it wasn't the projects at home or at work, it was a lack of diversity. Doing the same thing when I got home that I did all day burned me out because it wasn't any different. Coming home and working of stuff I can't work on at work be it new langua…

You missed his point. His ideal job would give you enough diversity that you wouldn't feel you had to get that from outside work.

Re: Burnout

#46

Post by mathattack »

goalieca wrote: post #37
jscheel wrote: post #16

I am finding that it's better to just leave the stupid computer off when I get home. It gives me more time with my wife and daughter, and I feel more rested and ready for the next day. For example, last Saturday was filled with bike rides, walks, and playing outside. That's it. Yes, I have a list of about 10,000 different things I'm interesting in learning and doing, and another list that size of things that actually…

Sometimes I find that instead of reading about tech and trying little hobby things at home, I'm better off trying to fit that into my work somehow. Even a full 8 hours of programming 5 days in a row can be enough to mentally drain you if you're actually working the whole time.

It's self development, and very few folks have 8 hours of continuous concentration in them.

Re: Burnout

#47

Post by pfortuny »

Yes, try and look for happiness, which means a life you have control over, for a meaning of life much richer than 'the one with the greatest income to be had with my skills.'

One needs a definition of happiness which

a) Is appealing

b) Is a long-term (lifelong) project

c) Is valuable (in the sense of 'personal values')

Usually, this means sharing your 'life' with other people first and foremost.

And yes, burnout should not be a dirty word ever.

Re: Burnout

#48

Post by cfontes »

beebs93 wrote: post #43
goalieca wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sometimes I find that instead of reading about tech and trying little hobby things at home, I'm better off trying to fit that into my work somehow. Even a full 8 hours of programming 5 days in a row can be enough to mentally drain you if you're actually working the whole time.

Excellent point. If you find yourself at a job where they discourage programmers from reading tech blogs once in a while then RUN. FOR. YOUR. F KING. LIFE.

Excelent advice. I have a mental list of companies that block the internet from their employees so they don't do that.

I think that is just stupid. If you hire people you have to at least trust them to do their work otherwise fire them and unlock the freaking internet.

Re: Burnout

#49

Post by a3voices »

goalieca wrote: post #37
jscheel wrote: post #16

I am finding that it's better to just leave the stupid computer off when I get home. It gives me more time with my wife and daughter, and I feel more rested and ready for the next day. For example, last Saturday was filled with bike rides, walks, and playing outside. That's it. Yes, I have a list of about 10,000 different things I'm interesting in learning and doing, and another list that size of things that actually…

Sometimes I find that instead of reading about tech and trying little hobby things at home, I'm better off trying to fit that into my work somehow. Even a full 8 hours of programming 5 days in a row can be enough to mentally drain you if you're actually working the whole time.

I work for a Fortune 500 company as a programmer and I've spent probably 70-80% of my time at work over the last four years reading random tech news.

Re: Burnout

#50

Post by quaffapint »

I've got a crappy dev job that I've been in for over a decade that only gets worse with less pay. I don't bring home enough money and have my family living paycheck to paycheck. I stress over it and keep trying side stuff to bring in more, which mostly fail. I'm working hard right now trying to get this next side project out the door in the next month.

I'm in my 40s and no one in the area has raised their dev salaries since the 2008 drop. Given my age, it's only going to be harder to find jobs if it comes to that. I'm stuck. It's stressful and it sucks.

But, I still make time for the family. I go to their school functions, and help with their homework. I play games and watch movies. I'm doing it for them. I just wish I could do more. Someone once said they were jealous of me because I seem so content. My poker face must be pretty awesome.

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