7 ms·

I've been through burnout before. A few times. Not fun. Alas, I never had the luxury of being able to take time off (it turns out that children like eating food

I've been through burnout before. A few times. Not fun. Alas, I never had the luxury of being able to take time off (it turns out that children like eating food). So, while I can sympathize, I also can't sympathize since I had to work through it (usually by changing employers).

trekt 5y ago
Out of curiosity, how long did it take you before you felt like you were back to your "normal" self? I'm currently in the same position, and like the author of this blog, started my "burnout" recognition (followed by recovery) around end of November 2020 (first time experiencing burn out). I've since switched employers, and although I'm still way better than before, I don't feel my normal, creative, resilient and excited self. Minor set backs feel like the end of the world. I'm now having to battle with imposter syndrome, and I'm not sure whether this is part of the journey.
- hondo77 5y ago
  If you don't feel imposter syndrome on a new job, you're probably doing it wrong. :-) I don't know how long it usually take to fully recover. I've found that a new job changes things around enough that I feel better so I can at least function again. Normalcy comes sometime later.
  - abledon 5y ago
    burnout counterpoint: If you are totally relaxed at a job and never feel imposter-syndrome, only work 20% of time, ... burnout probably won't happen.
- k3liutZu 5y ago
  Not OP, but it took me maybe a couple of years. I kept telling me I was _close to being burnout_. It took me probably 6 months to realise how bad it had gotten and that I was actually in a really bad spot.
divbzero 5y ago
I was wondering about the parenting angle. How do you work through burnout when quitting is not an option?
- carlivar 5y ago
  If it's literally food on the table at risk, your finances are stretched way too thin and you should solve that separately. And living on the edge like this is probably a big contributor to burnout/stress. But to try to answer your question: I've wondered if going to work for a slow, boring company would help. Like a bank or just a local place that needs more I.T. type of help than amazing startup code. I tend to doubt this would work though. Maybe work for a non-profit with a mission that aligns with your values? This is where I would lean.
  - legerdemain 5y ago
    I have just quit a dev job at a corporate philanthropy whose mission "aligns with my values." It was more aimless, more cryptic, less meaningful, less "real," and less obviously impactful than any other dev job I've had. Every day was just a long, drawn-out feeling of "why bother."
    - carlivar 5y ago
      Corporate philanthropy triggers my BS detector a bit though. Do you think a non-profit would be different? Like, say, ASPCA or UNICEF instead of the Exxon-Mobil Climate Taskforce or whatever corporate philanthropy means (I actually do not know, could you elaborate?).
      - legerdemain 5y ago
        I was working at a philanthropic org funded by one of the Bay Area tech giants. The org was focused on science research and advocacy. But being neither a scientist nor activist, I was very far removed from whatever it is that our org did. My job was keeping the proverbial lights on. The combination of uninteresting work and being really peripheral within the org finally did me in.
Clubber 5y ago
I took about 4 months off a few years ago and it was great, but I always had the nagging feeling of, "you're cash is getting lower." I'm saving up to do it again in a few years.
- Hippocrates 5y ago
  Just go into power save mode. Ramen noodles and shots at home before meeting friends at the bar.
  - Clubber 5y ago
    I was in power save mode, but I had a mortgage, car payment and had to pay family health insurance, so I had a high cost of living. It was still well worth it. People with the stress of high obligations and families really need the break, but they are the least likely to be able to afford it.

trekt 5y ago

Out of curiosity, how long did it take you before you felt like you were back to your "normal" self? I'm currently in the same position, and like the author of this blog, started my "burnout" recognition (followed by recovery) around end of November 2020 (first time experiencing burn out). I've since switched employers, and although I'm still way better than before, I don't feel my normal, creative, resilient and excited self. Minor set backs feel like the end of the world. I'm now having to battle with imposter syndrome, and I'm not sure whether this is part of the journey.

hondo77 5y ago
If you don't feel imposter syndrome on a new job, you're probably doing it wrong. :-) I don't know how long it usually take to fully recover. I've found that a new job changes things around enough that I feel better so I can at least function again. Normalcy comes sometime later.
- abledon 5y ago
  burnout counterpoint: If you are totally relaxed at a job and never feel imposter-syndrome, only work 20% of time, ... burnout probably won't happen.
k3liutZu 5y ago
Not OP, but it took me maybe a couple of years. I kept telling me I was _close to being burnout_. It took me probably 6 months to realise how bad it had gotten and that I was actually in a really bad spot.

divbzero 5y ago

I was wondering about the parenting angle. How do you work through burnout when quitting is not an option?

carlivar 5y ago
If it's literally food on the table at risk, your finances are stretched way too thin and you should solve that separately. And living on the edge like this is probably a big contributor to burnout/stress. But to try to answer your question: I've wondered if going to work for a slow, boring company would help. Like a bank or just a local place that needs more I.T. type of help than amazing startup code. I tend to doubt this would work though. Maybe work for a non-profit with a mission that aligns with your values? This is where I would lean.
- legerdemain 5y ago
  I have just quit a dev job at a corporate philanthropy whose mission "aligns with my values." It was more aimless, more cryptic, less meaningful, less "real," and less obviously impactful than any other dev job I've had. Every day was just a long, drawn-out feeling of "why bother."
  - carlivar 5y ago
    Corporate philanthropy triggers my BS detector a bit though. Do you think a non-profit would be different? Like, say, ASPCA or UNICEF instead of the Exxon-Mobil Climate Taskforce or whatever corporate philanthropy means (I actually do not know, could you elaborate?).
    - legerdemain 5y ago
      I was working at a philanthropic org funded by one of the Bay Area tech giants. The org was focused on science research and advocacy. But being neither a scientist nor activist, I was very far removed from whatever it is that our org did. My job was keeping the proverbial lights on. The combination of uninteresting work and being really peripheral within the org finally did me in.

Clubber 5y ago

I took about 4 months off a few years ago and it was great, but I always had the nagging feeling of, "you're cash is getting lower." I'm saving up to do it again in a few years.

Hippocrates 5y ago
Just go into power save mode. Ramen noodles and shots at home before meeting friends at the bar.
- Clubber 5y ago
  I was in power save mode, but I had a mortgage, car payment and had to pay family health insurance, so I had a high cost of living. It was still well worth it. People with the stress of high obligations and families really need the break, but they are the least likely to be able to afford it.