I first wrote about job burnout five years ago in 2019 [1]. I offered some valid advice, and the bottom line was, “Work to live rather than live to work.” This advice still stands. Compartmentalizing your life preserves your mental and physical health, but it’s not enough, and five years later, I’ve realized the shortcomings of that simplistic analysis. Burnout is far more complex than I ever imagined and dealing with it alone has given me new insights that I hope will also help you.
Burnout has many origins: stress, repetitive tasks, the feeling of no end in sight, the need to keep your technical skills sharp, negative feedback, no feedback, low or no salary incentives, no job ladder or promotions, and the feeling that people see you as a…