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by temikus 1634 days ago
I used to be in a situation like that. Couldn’t change positions due to a visa requirement and management took advantage of that.

What helped me:

- Have a light at the end of the tunnel, i.e. issuance of my permanent residency which would put an end to the suffering.

- Have a VERY rigid separation between home and work. 2 laptops, 2 phones. As soon as 6 o’clock hits work phone gets turned off and put on a shelf.

- Personal side projects that kept me interested in IT and helped me uphill. This bit is important to make sure you don’t start associating your vocation with mental pain and understand that the industry is still fun, your job just sucks.

- Regular exercise.

- Taking regular breaks during workday, have lunch outside with a friend, etc.

- Participate in meetups and other community events, volunteer your time to help others (gives meaning).

It’s a tough situation, so good luck. If you can leave though - I would recommend it. Life is too short to work in an environment you hate.

1 comments

Meetups = more Zoom?
Well depends on where in the world you are. Preferably something in person of course.
Bay Area? Most tech meetups here, except for the ones literally in SF, are fully remote and extremely corporate.
I’m in Australia and people are starting to get back into it. Cannot say about Bay Area as it’s been a while since I’ve visited.