In the tech and startup industry, it can be commonplace to take on a full plate and juggle multiple responsibilities at once. Many of us are attracted to the idea of time flexibility that the startup world can provide but are also ill-prepared when it comes to actually applying these skills. Because of that, burnout is becoming more common; yet, we still lack a space to have a true dialogue about it – why is that?
In a post centered all about burnout and how we can utilize it to reach our potential, developer Pavneet Singh Saund takes to his website to break down the hushed world of burnout. As he writes, burnout isn’t something that should be viewed as shameful, but can actually help us build community and better accomplish our goals.
He writes:
“Burnout is also something that many see as defeat a sense of ultimate failure that can remove themselves from a successful career. Or maybe that talking about it in the open will limit their chances for getting new jobs. If there are employers out there that actually have this attitude, then these are places where you don’t want to work anyway.”
Many of us, like Saund, are juggling family, professional, social and personal goals. Because of that, burnout can be a common and natural side effect from taking on many loads. It’s also becoming more common than we’ve anticipated, as high-level stressors become more steadfast in our everyday lives. Denial, blame, and guilt also manifest when trying to come to grips with burnout. There’s even a whole Hacker News thread where people share their first job burnout experiences.
So, how can we turn the dialogue around burnout around, to create positive change? It begins with just that – discussing burnout with those around you. It’s centralizing self-care and personal wellness as core parts of your to-do list. It may seem silly, but taking time to recharge and unplug has tremendous benefits for your overall health and professional longevity.
Again, Saund:
“Burnout has been a defining event in my life, that I would have rather been without. On the other side though, I’ve pulled through stronger than before. I’ve learned about myself and am prepared (as well as can be) for the rest of my journey. Will I avoid a similar experience in the future? Maybe. Maybe I’ll catch it a little earlier, but it’s naive to believe I can avoid it completely… I want to spread awareness about this topic. Based on nothing else than a hunch, I believe there are many developers out there that may or may not have the tools available to deal with burnout, nor the voice to speak of their feelings. Instead they may be working at the same place, day in, day out without realizing that this is completely wrong and that there are some things they can do help themselves…”
Image via Flickr/Aaayyymm Eeelecktriik