You'll feel better if your work has a purpose. Find a big problem and help solve it. But focus on one problem to solve, dont spread yourself too thin. And give

You'll feel better if your work has a purpose. Find a big problem and help solve it. But focus on one problem to solve, dont spread yourself too thin. And give your brain a little time to decompress. Its hard to discern your goals from your post. I'm guessing that you are striving for recognition as a great developer (could explain pouring all your spare time into open source, and corroborated by your self description). If so, thats a painful goal that won't be satisfied. Any time you spend to benefit others will feel rewarding. A bus driver directly sees who he benefits, but you can too. Maybe the problems you're solving are too arcane. Maybe you'd feel more rewarded being more involved with end users.