All jobs turn into a routine after a while, but IME when it becomes a problem is usually not because of the job itself, but because you loose motivation to do i

All jobs turn into a routine after a while, but IME when it becomes a problem is usually not because of the job itself, but because you loose motivation to do it anymore. And that (to me at least) usually happens because of the bad management and/or unpleasant team environment, not the work itself. Give me the sense of purpose and I'll fix CRUD api for the rest of my life, no problem. That's what adult life is about anyway IMHO, not everyone gets to launch rockets or cure cancer, some of us work to pay bills and that's OK... and beside launching rockets and curing diseases includes a lot of grindy work, too. But if I feel unappreciated or the work seems pointless then I just disconnect from the project and don't care anymore, and then any work becomes just grinding, until you're ready to quit.