It is not uncommon for programmers to lose their enthusiasm for work because they are exhausted while programming.
Many articles can be used as evidence in this regard, proving that this is already a common phenomenon in the IT industry. Since I already have experience dealing with burnout, I wanted to dig deeper into the problem and help you solve or even prevent it.
Causes of burnout
Programmers are more prone to burnout than professionals in other fields. I also don't have a clear answer as to why this is the case, but I think there are four main reasons.
The first is physiological reasons. Sitting at a desk every day, facing a computer, is unhealthy and makes people more listless and lethargic. Drowsiness may also lead to other bad habits, such as snacking, smoking, staying up late, etc. Then eventually lead to stagnation in the heart, resulting in burnout.
The second reason is that programming is a highly cognitively intensive and stressful job that can lead to mental fatigue and impairment.
Third, it's possible that you're exhausted right now because the work you're doing is draining you, and there's little to gain. The only solution to this is to walk away for a while and reflect on what kind of work you want to do if money is not a factor.
The fourth reason I didn't come up with, I found it in the comments section of Hacker News. One person accurately described, "Burnout is the result of repeatedly making a lot of sacrifices, or trying to complete high-risk problems and failing. It's the result of a negative prediction gap in the nucleus accumbens. Your brain You need to deal with failure wisely. This one is so true. There is hardly a day in the process of creating software that is not a day of failures and setbacks.
I have experienced burnout a few times myself. Although I have not Once gave up on programming, but occasionally I wondered if I was picking the right career. So, from then on, I started focusing on a strategic approach to work to stay motivated and productive in the long run. I'll be covering in this post Some of my development habits, and some technical tricks that can prevent or even eliminate burnout.
Start with the basics first.
Eat well. Don't assume that being a vegan is all good. Try gradually replacing soda with plain water, eat a low-sugar diet, eat more vegetables, and don't overeat. And most importantly, keep going.
Sleep well. This includes good sleep quality and adequate sleep time. A better sleeping environment can make us feel refreshed when we wake up. One specific trick is to reduce blue light exposure that can cause sleepless nights. This can be done by installing Flux, to adjust the color of the computer monitor.
Don't get overworked. There is already a lot of evidence that productivity, or output, drops dramatically after 4 hours of focused work. In a cognitively intensive occupation like a programmer, it is impossible to remain productive over the long term.
Pomodoro Technique. This is an easy and effective way for programmers who want to stay productive while taking some necessary breaks. The Pomodoro Technique is 25 minutes of focused work, 5 minutes of rest, and the cycle. It's even better if you have a specific goal at each work hour. Ideally, during your breaks, you should do some activities away from your computer. Such as walking, push-ups, etc. Of course, you can also take a 30-minute break after the three Pomodoros, and the effect is also very good.
Stay active, keep going. What I meant to say was -- exercise, but a lot of people have a misconception that exercise has to include going to the gym, or something. But in reality, staying active can also be achieved by taking the stairs instead of taking the elevator, or parking the car in a corner and choosing to ride a bike to work, in short, other ways of moving in daily life are easier to achieve than people Days indulge in front of the computer.
More specific points
Experiment, play, learn, prototype. These things can give you a lot of benefits in the short term, and output quickly. For example, keep building your website in the same way you're used to. However, over time this gets boring and uninteresting. Programming is also partly engineering, requiring the use of well-proven techniques for producing software. But it also allows you to have fun, experiment and try new ideas. Spending 20% of your time on technology is one of the most effective strategies for avoiding burnout. Killing can technically be trying out new libraries, creating something interesting but not work-related, or learning something you haven't dabbled in before, like functional programming.
Attend meetups, conferences and listen to podcasts. Programming can feel lonely. Meeting other developers or listening to their experiences on podcasts can make you more aware and focused on your work. No one likes to complain, but sharing or hearing from other programmers about their struggles and how they overcame them can inspire you to keep going.
Create a good work environment and don't skimp on tools. A PC that can compile quickly saves your time from wasting unnecessary waiting. Make sure to have a comfortable chair, table and monitor as well as the setup. If you work in a noisy environment, buy a high-quality headphone to isolate the noise.
Master the tools. Good tools can make programming more enjoyable, and mastering these tools can make your work more productive. This is a well-known point, but I'll repeat it again. Knowing about tools like editors, operating systems, all the shortcuts in the command line can save you a lot of time. Automating routine tasks can speed up the process and further prevent burnout.
Rest and dabble in other areas. Besides programming, there are many fun activities. For example: sports, cultural events, sex, reading, legos, social activities, fishing, baking, photography, etc. If you keep doing one thing, like programming, you will inevitably burn out one day. So, do some seemingly unrelated work that actually reignites your passion, and that might inspire new ideas and ideas, just like that legendary Nobel laureate Richard Feynman learned the board swing .
Consider changing jobs or starting a different project. Burnout can also be caused by the fact that you're constantly doing boring, exhausting work like fine-tuning an existing codebase all day long. It could also be that the project you are working on no longer matches your interests or your values. Also, if you find that coding is no longer arousing your passion, then also consider related fields such as information architecture, systems administration, etc. that may reignite your passion.
Consolidate tasks that you can successfully complete into daily tasks. These tasks include testing code, writing comments, improving variable naming, and more, all of which release endorphins that help restore work behavior. This technique is meant to make our brains more motivated about the work we do.
in conclusion
There is no magic cure for burnout, and everyone's situation is different. So, hopefully these tips I have listed above that I find work will work for you as well.
Granted, we need time to develop new habits. But eating well, sleeping well, exercising, and taking good care of yourself can make you feel better, which can help you do better when it comes to getting things done and keep your love for programming alive.
So, come on. Don't force yourself to work 10 hours/day, 6 days/week. It has been scientifically proven that concentration drops dramatically after a certain number of focused work hours. Therefore, focus on using the Pomodoro Technique efficiently during work hours, and completely forget about it after get off work. Learn to say no and do something you love besides programming. This is the really important point, come on, Sao Nian!
Link to translation : http://www.codeceo.com/article/programmer-tied.html
