I've noticed that burnout tends to occur when I've been doing long stretches of "just get it done" work. While that type of work is great for your employer, it

I've noticed that burnout tends to occur when I've been doing long stretches of "just get it done" work. While that type of work is great for your employer, it can be very unfulfilling for the employee. Programming is a craft, and one that you can find meaning and fulfillment in. Mastering your craft is an exciting and motivating endeavor if you can take the time to do it well. But if you are forced to write "just get it done" code all day it will suck the energy from your soul. If you are in a job where you simply cannot take the extra time to write elegant, interesting, well designed code... Then it may be worth looking for a new job. Find a company where the deadline isn't yesterday, and where you can foster a pattern of writing excellent code, and improving your craft.