A Hired Imposter's Secrets #3 => (Handling Developer Burnout 😰)

Great read Allan. You provided some great tips for those who are just starting our tech career. Look forward to seeing more of your content.

Loved reading this! Taking care of ourselves is the most important part of fulfilling our goals. We sometimes forget about our own health and focus fully on working and getting everything right. This article really helped to remind me and others that our 'why' isn't possible without putting our physical and mental selves first.

It's definitely a balancing act...

• pushing yourself, but not too much
• taking breaks, but not too long
• exercising, enough to feel healthy and happy

Thanks for the read! I needed this reminder. I'm feeling the burn lately and gotta get myself re-centered. Focusing on the Why!

Wow! This was an amazing read, burnout is definitely a struggle we all face sometime in our work life. It is something if not handled correctly can damage out mental and physical health. The pomodoro technique has changed my life, I wish they taught us this in school! And fitness and rest is very important for overall self care. ☺️

I 100% agree with this, especially the rest part. I remember when I was studying after working and I've been awake since 4am. My Heart was beating in a certain way as if it was telling me "its time to rest up a little bit and then you can study". Needless to say I listened! Great article Allan.

As someone who just recovered - or maybe is still recovering- from a major burnout (with life changing consequences), I just love this article. Especially the first part, know your why. If we had that clear, it would be easier to stir ourselves away from all the rest that adds to the stress. Furthermore, as the definition says, burnout leads to other serious issues, such as depression and anxiety. The sad part about it, is that when trying to climb the corporate ladder, we feel embarrassed to talk about it, and most people end up relying on medication to cover up the issue, without handling its root cause of their issues, the burnout.

Absolutely loved this article. I need to constantly remind myself to rest. Knowing I’m a night owl, I have to set reminders in my planner or phone of when to call it a night. I sometimes forget how sleep can have such a drastic effect on my day and energy levels! 😅

I think what helps me to manage burnout is to also have other creative outlets. I like to pick up my guitar and just spend a few minutes improvising and that gets some creative juices flowing! 😎

Really liked how you talked about the why. Burnout is the real deal. I haven’t really had a true way to deal with burnout. Honestly usually I push through it, or give up. But the past year I’ve been trying to force myself to take breaks or dedicate one rest day a week. Stepping away and doing something mind numbing usually helps me. Or just relaxing and listening to music.

Hello, Allan; great post! You provided excellent ways to cope with burnout through the Pomodoro technique, exercise, and rest. They all play a massive part in our ability to perform well. I constantly battle with all three, and it's a hit or miss for me. I lose track of time when it comes down to work and may try too hard to complete a task or project. Consistent short breaks are something I need to focus on daily. As for exercise, I get up extra early to knock that out in the morning; it's a habit I picked up while serving in the military. Now I do know I lack in rest. I've always believed that I need to be doing 10x more than everyone else; thanks, Grant Cardone. If you haven't already, you should check out GC's book "The 10x Rule" he has motivated me to accomplish many things. Check out his book here: The 10x Rule by Grant Cardone

Although pushing my body and mind to their limits is lovely. And has helped me with my productivity in achieving my goals in life. I'm still in the process of learning to balance work and rest. I have a habit of going into a trance while working at night. It's so quiet and peaceful with no distractions that hours pass before I look at the time. So now, I ask my wife to slap me in the back of the head when it gets too late and drags me to bed which has been working quite well these past few weeks. It's all fine and dandy until I get back into the grind and say, "be right there," which never happens.

I'll be working on all of this and, hopefully, find a rhythm that fits my goals without burning myself out. Thanks for sharing this magnificent post, Allan!

Having been through burnout several times in my career, I know it's challenging to see how close you are to the edge.

As you said:

• It's important to understand why you are pushing yourself.
• Breaks are important, if not critical. Changing pace by working on another project is not always enough.
• Rest and relaxation are vital.
• Exercise is necessary.

Here are my thoughts on avoidance and recovery from burnout ...

1. Avoidance is the first approach. If you see it coming, changing something in your life is always easier than fixing things once you're over the edge.
2. Once I've reached that burnout stage, I try to tackle the issue before it impacts my performance (toward whatever the goal is). I actually spent three weeks playing video games once rather than working (this was not a quick response).
3. I have a few people in my life that can "kick my butt" and get me moving again. These are friends and/or co-workers that I am comfortable enough to take the "abuse" as something necessary. I approach them and talk things through and develop a plan of recovery.