Ask HN: I'm burned out. Now what?

[burnttoacrisp]

They say the first step to coping with burnout is to admit you have a problem. If I'm being honest with myself, I've been burned out for years. My heart's not in my work, I procrastinate on important projects, turn in substandard work. Yet somehow I've managed to keep going, somehow never being let go from my job for underperforming.

But what can I do about it? Most articles advise taking time off work. But, for various reasons, I can't afford to take more than a week or two off work at a time. I take weekends and holidays off, and use my vacation time. But it never seems to help. If anything, time off only makes things worse. Intead of feeling refreshed, I feel even less motivated when I return.

I exercise, eat healthily, get plenty of sleep, and meditate. None of it seems to help.

I've tried looking for another job, but haven't been able to find anything, even though I'm willing to take a pay cut. Going back to school to train for another profession isn't really an option for me at this point, and I don't really know what I'd want to do anyway. I actually feel really privileged to have the job I do, though in some ways that makes it worse because I think I should leave to make room for someone who heart is more in it and would do better work.

Anyone have any knowledge of what to do when you're burned out but stuck in your job?

[hourislate]

There will come a point in every ones life where that career just becomes a job. Some folks are lucky and walk away with millions, some folks have to keep going and grind it out.

There are options to consider. Take the Scott Adams approach he wrote about in his Dilbert books. He used his time at a job he hated to pursue his own endeavor. Went through a very funny explanation about how his employer was supplying his office space, phone, computer, stationary supplies and the rest of it to run his own business, all for free. Have you considered finding a hobby or starting a side project you can pursue while at work? It may help make your job more tolerable.

But if it's the actual work itself you don't like, why not train in something more interesting? Perhaps a network admin, security specialist, AWS Guru, etc. Plenty of certs and paths you can take to get out of your current Hell.

Whatever you do, don't quit until you have a solid option. Nothing like making a rainy day for yourself.

Hope you find your way....

[president]

I've been through this before. Vacations never help and are only temporary blinders. I think the core of the issue, at least for me, is a hyper-realization that there is so much more to life than work. I don't think there's any way to get out of this type of rut without taking significant risks once you've mentally passed that checkpoint. It's an even harder problem to escape if you have financial issues or family obligations. If you have a strong work ethic and/or skills other than in your job, you could start your own thing and maybe it'll go somewhere, or not. The only other alternative that I've thought of is to work a 9-5 job that you are over-qualified for. At least with that option, you'll get the satisfaction of performing well, being completely free to pursue your passions outside of the 9-5 while still being able to pay your bills.

[Findeton]

Have you tried a long holiday? Like 3 or 4 weeks off.

[siracusa]

You sound more depressed than burned out.