Ask HN: Have I burnt out and what should I do?

[burnout-thrw]

Hello HN, I'm a fairly active member of the HN community but, as usual with this kind of post, I'm posting with a throwaway to avoid being labelled "damaged goods".

For the past few months, I've found it harder and harder to be motivated at work. I've known that I have had things to do, yet instead of doing them I will browse the internet, do other projects or even just sit there doing nothing. I open terminals, long files or emails - just so I can seem busy.

In my spare time, I contribute a lot to open-source and I work on a lot of projects in my spare time - I don't think I'm just being lazy as I will work hard in my spare time. I just can't bring myself to work hard at my job.

It's becoming more and more stressful as I am unable to complete projects that need to be done. I have a few that are urgent now but I keep putting them off, making up excuses, etc. I've just had yet another given to me. This time with a 3 week deadline. It's stuff I know that I can do and there's more than enough time, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

Most days I go home thinking to myself "I literally did nothing today". It's depressing and I'm really starting to hate work.

Is this burnout or just laziness and how can I tell? What should I do? Should I try and get better or just quit and hope for success at a new position? What if it happens again (I've been fine for the past year or so since I joined my present company, it has just been these past months)? Finally, does anyone else have any experience with burn-out and how did you get over it?

[relaunched]

Personally, I'd say check the usual suspects first. Check your personal life first. Oftentimes, is something is out of whack in one place, it carries over to almost every other part of your life.

I think the most telling part about your story is "I'd say in the whole organisation there are only 2 people, plus myself, who actually care about writing good code". You either care about your job or you don't. It sounds like you do, but almost no one else in your organization does. That sucks. Do you say to yourself, "I hate my job, but love working with my co-workers?" If so, get out! It's hard and it's scary, but you need to. Trust me.

There are a lot of things you can do to care less about your job and find fulfillment elsewhere, but I advise against it. I want no part in turning someone into the kind of employee that doesn't really give a shit about what they do for a living.

Good Luck!

[bifxanon]

I relate to everything you said, and I've also read a lot of these posts on burnout. Everyone has the same list of symptoms, and the same mentality.

The unsuccessful seem to be the ones who do nothing, and wait to become unburnt out. I've been applying for a lot of jobs recently, and it's gone very well. I'm likely to have a few offers in the next couple weeks, but I find myself completely dissatisfied with the thought of taking another job. I'm nervous I'll be in the exact same situation after a week, or even the first day, of a new job.

The answer seems clear though, if you still like your job take a long vacation and come back. If you don't, quit your job and take the same vacation. Find a new job after.

That's such an easy thing to say though -- I know because I'm sitting here, still employed, and not fucking off to Australia for 6 months to learn to surf and relax. Sigh.

[pasbesoin]

You are not motivated. Find something that motivates you. It sounds/reads like your current job may not be it -- or may not be sufficient, even if it's not deficient as work / a job.

Pay close attention to your physical health. Lack of physical well being can sap focus and energy as quick as anything else. If you're not exercising, do so. It doesn't matter so much what, as long as you enjoy and/or engage in doing it.

Pay attention to your personal life. (You have one, don't you?) Many jobs cannot meet all aspects of most people's personal needs.

With respect to the latter two, it's difficult to build solid work on top of a shaky foundation.

P.S. This represents a few suggestions. It's simplistic, not comprehensive. After all, I don't know you from Adam/Eve.

[ls6]

From what I have witnessed over the years your feeling could be caused by really various factors. If you want some advice from the crowd here you probably need to provide some more details - at least about your professional situation e.g. big company or small? good management or not? good team or not? interesting project or not?

The optimistic scenario is: maybe you got bored with your current job? Some people just need changes.

[burnout-thrw]

50 or so employees. We're a digital agency. My team is great and so are the rest of my co-workers. Management is a joke. The projects are fun - however, that's the problem. We're rarely working on projects. We're usually fixing bugs in this horrible codebase we have or tacking on features onto the horrible code. I'd say in the whole organisation there are only 2 people, plus myself, who actually care about writing good code.

[rmATinnovafy]

You need a vacation.

Unplug yourself for two weeks. Travel a bit. Sit back and relax. Stop thinking about work.

Then come back and start working on your momentum again.

[mnicole]

I was told to do this by HR after complaining of similar symptoms, citing that I would be 'completely refreshed' afterwards. Two weeks later, I didn't want to come back. Six months and multiple random days off to balance work/life later, I still didn't feel any different.

This is burned out, not overworked. Overworked leads to burn out, but so does not being heard out by the executives. Their inability to take the OP's experience and recommendations seriously (which is what they're doing by continuing down a path that won't work for them) is going to ruin them.

I'd suggest citing this as the reason for resignation despite their clout, because while they have connections, they don't have the foresight to do business effectively in this industry. Offer (again) any suggestions you have, see if they are interested in going another route to salvage you, otherwise take the steps you need to move along.

[rmATinnovafy]

Good point.

I agree with what you say. The fact that he may not want to return to work is good. That means he can move on to better things.

I've been there. Not wanting to go back made me realize that I needed to move on.

Yes, it is tough. But I'm sure he will overcome this.

Good luck!

[masukomi]

A vacation will NOT solve his problems. He's unsatisfied by the tasks he is asked to spend 8 hours a day working on. Going away for two weeks will not change that.