Burnout can be as much about what you do outside of work as what happens during working hours.
In some cases it’s easy to identify a workplace as the cause of burnout: Companies that require 50-80 hour weeks, bosses who yell and scream regularly, psychologically manipulative situations, and environments where people are prevented from having control over their own outcomes are going to take a toll on anyone. Getting any new job is statistically likely to be an improvement.
But I talk to a lot of developers who say they’re burnt out but who go on to describe relatively comfortable working environments. Some people even manage to get “burned out” at every company they’ve ever worked for, regardless of what it’s like. For these people, I think blaming the job for burnout becomes a cover for different problems.
For some, it’s because they haven’t built much of a life outside of work. As we grow up it’s easy to fall into routine of going to work, going home, and repeating. Some people I talk to haven’t met up with friends for months. Others haven’t taken a vacation in years. Some people can’t name a hobby that doesn’t also involve sitting at computers at the end of the day (gaming is common). For people in this group, changing jobs does very little beyond the initial excitement of meeting new people. If you’re in this group you really need to start getting out and doing things, even if you don’t feel like it initially. Rebuilding a life outside of work can improve one’s stress resilience in the office tremendously.
I’ve also noticed a lot of developers describing classic depression symptoms but calling it burnout lately. Despite changing attitudes toward mental health, people are still resistant to admitting depression in themselves. I’ve had a few friends in recent years who self-diagnosed as being burned out and took time off of work or quit their jobs to recover. Then in the absence of daily routine and social engagement of work, their depression became even deeper. I think the overlap between depression and burnout symptoms has created an opening for people who dislike the idea of being depressed to blame their jobs for all of their problems, which can delay treatment for a long time. For people in this situation it’s best to explore all explanations and be open to the possibility that maybe there’s more going on.
A good heuristic might be to look around you. If many of the people at your company are unhappy, burned out, or turning over rapidly then it’s probably your job. On the other hand if you’re one of the few people who seems to be struggling or of you’ve felt “burned out” at every job since college, maybe there’s more going on that can’t be explained by work alone.
Finally: Different jobs fit different personality types. Some people get bored and drained by slow-moving companies. Other people have difficulty handling any pressure or unpredictability at work. What works for someone else may not necessarily work for you. Match your job to what suits you best.
> Companies that require 50-80 hour weeks, bosses who yell and scream regularly, psychologically manipulative situations, and environments where people are prevented from having control over their own outcomes are going to take a toll on anyone
If you got paid $250k/yr to work fulltime at Bain and all that work was to shred a single piece of paper, any paper, a day and that is it, no crunch time, no yelling bosses, nothing - would you eventually burn out?
In some cases it’s easy to identify a workplace as the cause of burnout: Companies that require 50-80 hour weeks, bosses who yell and scream regularly, psychologically manipulative situations, and environments where people are prevented from having control over their own outcomes are going to take a toll on anyone. Getting any new job is statistically likely to be an improvement.
But I talk to a lot of developers who say they’re burnt out but who go on to describe relatively comfortable working environments. Some people even manage to get “burned out” at every company they’ve ever worked for, regardless of what it’s like. For these people, I think blaming the job for burnout becomes a cover for different problems.
For some, it’s because they haven’t built much of a life outside of work. As we grow up it’s easy to fall into routine of going to work, going home, and repeating. Some people I talk to haven’t met up with friends for months. Others haven’t taken a vacation in years. Some people can’t name a hobby that doesn’t also involve sitting at computers at the end of the day (gaming is common). For people in this group, changing jobs does very little beyond the initial excitement of meeting new people. If you’re in this group you really need to start getting out and doing things, even if you don’t feel like it initially. Rebuilding a life outside of work can improve one’s stress resilience in the office tremendously.
I’ve also noticed a lot of developers describing classic depression symptoms but calling it burnout lately. Despite changing attitudes toward mental health, people are still resistant to admitting depression in themselves. I’ve had a few friends in recent years who self-diagnosed as being burned out and took time off of work or quit their jobs to recover. Then in the absence of daily routine and social engagement of work, their depression became even deeper. I think the overlap between depression and burnout symptoms has created an opening for people who dislike the idea of being depressed to blame their jobs for all of their problems, which can delay treatment for a long time. For people in this situation it’s best to explore all explanations and be open to the possibility that maybe there’s more going on.
A good heuristic might be to look around you. If many of the people at your company are unhappy, burned out, or turning over rapidly then it’s probably your job. On the other hand if you’re one of the few people who seems to be struggling or of you’ve felt “burned out” at every job since college, maybe there’s more going on that can’t be explained by work alone.
Finally: Different jobs fit different personality types. Some people get bored and drained by slow-moving companies. Other people have difficulty handling any pressure or unpredictability at work. What works for someone else may not necessarily work for you. Match your job to what suits you best.