Falling Down — The Reality of Developer Burnout
By: Rob Doyle
Tags: Software Development, Mental Health, Technology, Work, Programming

Preventing Burnout

Burnout is not considered to be something that has a permanent effect on life because it can be managed. Most people get through it but it can take time to figure out. Here are some strategies to try.

Rest, exercise, and health

Try to exercise at least two or three times a week and eat more healthy food like fruit and vegetables. Drink plenty of water and make sure you are getting a full quota of sleep. Meditation is another good way of managing stress and resetting your mind. Apps like Headspace can really help with this.

Be open about your burnout to friends and family as their advice and support can be crucial in getting you back on track.

Another strategy is to become an early riser if you are not already. Getting up early can make you more productive while maintaining energy and mental sharpness. You could exercise before work or have a more productive day as a freelance developer. Getting your work done earlier to free up your evenings for leisure is a positive move.

Take time for other interests

According to Coderhood, it’s important to make time for doing things that you like doing. This can include spending time reading books, attending conferences and meetups, listening to development podcasts, or starting a personal blog about the things you enjoy the most. Writing can also be excellent therapy for helping your mind and mood.

Hobbies are another great way to combat burnout. Knowing when to take a break and do something else is an important way to manage yourself. If you feel work is becoming too much to manage, set some time aside to do the enjoyable things that you have been putting off.

It may be that you like gaming, sport, or photography. It’s easy to deprive yourself of the fun things in life. Don’t do that. Fun activities generate energy and that is what you are looking for to create a better life balance.

The main point is equilibrium. There is a time to work, time to sleep, and time to enjoy life with family, friends, and hobbies. Split your time up wisely and you will be a far more content person.

Be sure to self-reflect

According to Towards Data Science, an excellent strategy is to take the time to self-reflect at the end of each day. This can be done using a written journal or an online resource like Evernote. You could even send emails to yourself.

The point is that you take time to look back at what you have achieved that day. This can include passive and active events. Passive events are when something happened without you actually doing anything, such as bumping into an old friend and enjoying a good long conversation.

An active event is when something has been done as a direct action from you. This can be in the form of completing a task on your to-do list such as downloading some software or walking the dog.

The point of self-reflection is to look back at what you achieved but realize that things can happen that you have no control over. These things may have shifted your schedule and set you back.

The trick is to understand that you don’t have full control over everything in life. Things can happen out of the blue, but that’s OK. It’s important to accept that it happens, so don’t let frustration burn you out.

By reflecting you can see what is happening in your daily life and learn about how to adapt your plans as you go.