[robg]

1. Start with sleep. The glymphatic nervous system washes away the brain damage caused by daily stress. Not enough or low quality sleep and brain damage is accumulating. Go to bed and realize that time in bed doesn’t equal time asleep. Lower your thermostat to 62-64 degrees F. Kill all excess light. Leave your devices in another room.

2. Stress less. Recognize that professional athletes train for at most 3-4 hours a day. You are a professional athlete now where your brain is your most potent muscle. Find time and hobbies to enjoy life and hopefully away from screens.

3. Move more. Exercise not only keeps us strong, it helps us sleep better and stress less physiologically. Find activities you enjoy and better if away from screens.

4. Eat better. Start thinking of your brain as part of your body, fuel it with food, not processed garbage.

If after one month of #1-4 you still feel awful, start your job search. Even if you live to work, versus work to live, a job should help you grow professionally. Seek out mentors and work to change what you do, after you have a stable base of who you are.

[Huxley2022]

"Recognize that professional athletes train for at most 3-4 hours a day."

What is your source for this?

E.g., here https://wildfriendsfoods.com/blogs/community/a-typical-train... the author trains 5-6 hours per day and that is intense training.