Comments on: Coder Burn-Out http://blog.markparuzel.com/2008/04/30/coder-burn-out/ Segmentation Fault Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:15:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Andrew Smith http://blog.markparuzel.com/2008/04/30/coder-burn-out/#comment-3037 Andrew Smith Sat, 03 May 2008 00:08:44 +0000 http://blog.markparuzel.com/2008/04/30/coder-burn-out/#comment-3037 I've learned about burn-out a long time ago, but only started applying what I learned when I started my new job. I've made it clear from the start that I'm not going to be working overtime unless something truly out of the ordinary happens, deadlines or not. Also after I eat my lunch (15 minutes) I go out for a 45-minute walk (wind, rain, snow, or not). It turns out that just as I expected I am as productive working 7 hours a day as I am 12. Plus when I get home I don't feel braiddead, and can do other things. I suggest doing what I do - whenever your manager asks you to do something tell him how long it will really take (in 7 hour days). And when it turns out to be taking longer just tell him you need more time (more days, not more hours). If he keeps pushing you - ignore him, and at least make sure he's as pissed as you are. At the same time start looking for a new job. I can tell you for sure that they're not paying you enough to own you. So if 7.5 hours a day is not enough for them, let them double your salary first. I’ve learned about burn-out a long time ago, but only started applying what I learned when I started my new job.

I’ve made it clear from the start that I’m not going to be working overtime unless something truly out of the ordinary happens, deadlines or not.

Also after I eat my lunch (15 minutes) I go out for a 45-minute walk (wind, rain, snow, or not).

It turns out that just as I expected I am as productive working 7 hours a day as I am 12. Plus when I get home I don’t feel braiddead, and can do other things.

I suggest doing what I do - whenever your manager asks you to do something tell him how long it will really take (in 7 hour days). And when it turns out to be taking longer just tell him you need more time (more days, not more hours).

If he keeps pushing you - ignore him, and at least make sure he’s as pissed as you are. At the same time start looking for a new job.

I can tell you for sure that they’re not paying you enough to own you. So if 7.5 hours a day is not enough for them, let them double your salary first.

]]> By: David Humphrey http://blog.markparuzel.com/2008/04/30/coder-burn-out/#comment-3033 David Humphrey Fri, 02 May 2008 02:18:00 +0000 http://blog.markparuzel.com/2008/04/30/coder-burn-out/#comment-3033 Hey Mark, I think it's really important to listen to your body/mind when you start feeling like this. I go through a cycle where I pour everything I have into programming, and then totally burn out. The burn out phase always has me questioning why I'm bothering with this stuff, asking why I don't do something else in life, getting really down. When this happens, I walk away from it for a while. Lawrence Lessig takes 1 month a year and goes totally offline. I take 2 months a year and do nothing but read and cook. After I get off the digital treadmill for a while, I find that when I go back, I'm ready for it again. BUT, it takes me time to transition up or down. I find the shift out of computers as hard as going back in, and every time I start-up again, I wonder if I'll get back to where I was (I always do). My wife has helped me see that this cycle repeats really frequently with me, which is nice. Then I don't panic so much when it starts to happen. The thing with what you're doing is that you'll work so intensively all the time, and naturally burn-out. Go with it, and let yourself come back to the passionate work later. Hey Mark,

I think it’s really important to listen to your body/mind when you start feeling like this. I go through a cycle where I pour everything I have into programming, and then totally burn out. The burn out phase always has me questioning why I’m bothering with this stuff, asking why I don’t do something else in life, getting really down. When this happens, I walk away from it for a while. Lawrence Lessig takes 1 month a year and goes totally offline. I take 2 months a year and do nothing but read and cook.

After I get off the digital treadmill for a while, I find that when I go back, I’m ready for it again. BUT, it takes me time to transition up or down. I find the shift out of computers as hard as going back in, and every time I start-up again, I wonder if I’ll get back to where I was (I always do).

My wife has helped me see that this cycle repeats really frequently with me, which is nice. Then I don’t panic so much when it starts to happen. The thing with what you’re doing is that you’ll work so intensively all the time, and naturally burn-out. Go with it, and let yourself come back to the passionate work later.

]]> By: catherine leung http://blog.markparuzel.com/2008/04/30/coder-burn-out/#comment-3032 catherine leung Fri, 02 May 2008 01:55:19 +0000 http://blog.markparuzel.com/2008/04/30/coder-burn-out/#comment-3032 Time away from the computer is a must! Finding a hobby or two that gets you away from the computer completely is really helpful. Personally, I love my weekly pottery class. I love the feel of clay gliding through my fingers as it spins on wheel, chatting with my classmate, and building something out of a most primitive material (ie clay... which is a nice way of saying mud). The city of Toronto actually offers lots of different activities at a reasonable cost (sports, arts, cultural). You can look for them by doing a search for "toronto fun guide". Time away from the computer is a must! Finding a hobby or two that gets you away from the computer completely is really helpful. Personally, I love my weekly pottery class. I love the feel of clay gliding through my fingers as it spins on wheel, chatting with my classmate, and building something out of a most primitive material (ie clay… which is a nice way of saying mud). The city of Toronto actually offers lots of different activities at a reasonable cost (sports, arts, cultural). You can look for them by doing a search for “toronto fun guide”.

]]> By: Cozby http://blog.markparuzel.com/2008/04/30/coder-burn-out/#comment-3027 Cozby Thu, 01 May 2008 08:22:10 +0000 http://blog.markparuzel.com/2008/04/30/coder-burn-out/#comment-3027 Get the fuck outside. Stay away from the computer, read a book (or 5), get drunk, smoke a fat ooh wee joint, hell do anything but touch the silicon devil. Dude computers suck. There... I said it. Oh and buy Amit beers! (This one_really_helps with code burn out) Get the fuck outside.

Stay away from the computer, read a book (or 5), get drunk, smoke a fat ooh wee joint, hell do anything but touch the silicon devil.
Dude computers suck.
There… I said it.

Oh and buy Amit beers! (This one_really_helps with code burn out)

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