8 Ways to Prevent Burnout as a Software Developer 2

It is not rare in the programming field to burn out and lose passion for your work. If you Google about burnout as a software developer, you will find many stories. There are many stories and articles about software developers and burnout, but rarely do they mention about how to prevent burnout.

My goal in this post is to talk about why burnout happens and what are some ways that I try to prevent burnout.

Why does burnout happen?

There are no definite answers to why burnout occurs more often among programmers than other professions. I believe burnout occurs for these four main reasons:

1. Programming is a highly cognitively intensive activity. The mental fatigue from a long programming session can really add up fast. The built-up mental fatigue can even stop you from doing what you enjoy in some serious cases.

2. Programming requires you to be at your desk in front of a computer screen for a long period. Being stationary for so long is not good for your health in the long run.

3. When you are creating software, failures along the way is almost guaranteed to happen. This is okay if the project reaches the end with success. Unfortunately, many projects require a large amount of effort and sacrifice but are doomed to failure. With constant exposure to failures, your brain will eventually associate work with failure.

4. Your work may no longer be a challenge for you. Therefore, you feel bored and even see it as soul sucking and unrewarding.

Ways to prevent burnout

1. Sleep well

By sleep well, I mean getting good quality sleep. Good quality sleep promotes good health and increases your productivity.

If you are having trouble with getting quality sleep, you can try to create a scheduled time to sleep. Even set up an alarm as a reminder. Yes, an alarm for when to go to bed.

Instead of using a traditional alarm that goes off at a specified time, consider using a smart alarm. Smart alarm normally tries to wake you up around the time you specified. It tries to wake you up when you are in light sleep, so you will wake up feeling refresh and not groggy. Smart alarm feature usually comes in the form of an app or wearable.

As a software developer, you are probably on your computer even when you are not working. That is perfectly understandable, but you should know the blue light coming from your screens are keeping you up. Instead of not using your computer at night, you can use an application that adapts your screen to the time of day. An example would be the application call f.lux. It definitely helped me out with getting my sleep in order.

To find out more about sleep you can check out my post about 21 benefits of sleep and how sleep affects your learning.

2. Stay active

Keep yourself moving throughout the day. You do not have to work out although that would be a big plus. If you can schedule in just 15 minutes a day for working out, you will notice a big difference.

If you cannot find time dedicated to just working out, you can still choose a more active option in the things you do every day. For example, you can take the stairs instead of an elevator or park your car a little farther and walk the distance.

If you are already active or plan to be, check out my post about the benefits of exercise. The rewards might give you more motivation.

3. Do not overwork yourself

Programming is a highly cognitively intensive activity. Thus, it is difficult to remain productive for a long period. You can only handle so much mental stress before you are out of energy for the day.

When you hit the “out-of-energy” state (you know what I mean), working more results in little to no progress. You just end up wasting your time and effort and depriving yourself of relaxation. You will have better results if you used the time to rest up instead.

4. Increase your productivity

Focus on working smarter instead of working harder. When you work smarter, you will get more done in a shorter timeframe.

Unfortunately, there is no one strategy that works for everyone; you will have to figure out the perfect combination for yourself. I will suggest techniques that helped me to improve my productivity.

You can incorporate the Pomodoro technique in your work life. It is simple, but effective for staying productive as a programmer.

If you are stuck in a noisy environment, you can turn to music. Listen to the right type of music for you and you can be productive in a noisy environment.

To find out more about the Pomodoro technique and how music can help you be more productive, you can check my post about ways to increase your productivity and how music can increase productivity.

5. Listen to podcasts of industry professionals

Programming can get lonely. When you are listening to other developers’ experiences, it helps you stay current and mindful about your job. For some reason, it is somewhat soothing and motivating to hear about the struggles other developers face and how they overcome it.

Here is a fantastic list of software development podcasts broken down into categories by John Sonmez. Whether you are already listening to development podcasts or want to try one out, this list will have you cover. Also, if you are not following John already, you should. You will learn plenty from him.

6. Experiment, play and learn

Software development is partly engineering by using well-proven techniques to produce software. But the other part is creativity and this is where you can have some fun. Try out something new and experiment around.

Try to dedicate a bit of your time to goofing around with technology to brighten up your software development experience. This will definitely help prevent burnout and even bring back some spark to your passion for software development.

7. Invest in a good working environment

Invest some time and money to create an enjoyable and comfortable working area. Get a computer that compiles quickly. Bring some ergonomics into your setup. Make sure you have a comfortable chair and table. Place your monitor(s), keyboard, and mouse in the position that reduces eye and wrist strains.

If you are interested in creating an ergonomic working area (which you really should consider), you can visit my post about computer workspace ergonomics.

8. Indulge in other passions or hobbies

Take a break from work and try some new hobbies. Programming is interesting, but sometimes you just need to take a break from it. Instead of programming, you can read, try a sport, or volunteer. Doing something that is unrelated to your profession might rekindle your passion and spark new ideas.

I hope you found this helpful. If so, share it with others so they can benefit as well.

Was there something I missed that you believe I should include? Have you gotten over a burnout by doing one of the things I talked about in this post? If so, feel free to leave a comment.

Also, to stay in touch you can follow me on twitter.