The best definition of burnout I have read is a "crisis of self-efficacy". You know all the stuff you're supposed to do, and you may tell yourself you love doing this, but deep down you don't have any faith that anything will get better.
Burnout can happen if your expectations don't match what the task will deliver. Sometimes the job is the problem. Paradigmatic example: idealistic teacher in dysfunctional school. Sometimes your expectations are the problem. Paradigmatic example: former prodigy trying to make a living by being more brilliant / dedicated / obsessive than others. Unfortunately, there's always someone nerdier than you.
Whatever the reason, you may have inadvertently trained yourself that work = dissatisfaction. The solution may be to try to train yourself out of this. You know yourself the best; figure something out.
Suggestions:
- pair programming. Instant social rewards, shared victories, less chance of distraction.
- accomplish something smaller but still valuable. Start a fucking Blogger account, fuck managing yet another stupid piece of software.
- visualize what it will be like once the task is accomplished. Do you feel better? If so, try to keep your "eyes on the prize". (If worse, re-evaluate).
Burnout can happen if your expectations don't match what the task will deliver. Sometimes the job is the problem. Paradigmatic example: idealistic teacher in dysfunctional school. Sometimes your expectations are the problem. Paradigmatic example: former prodigy trying to make a living by being more brilliant / dedicated / obsessive than others. Unfortunately, there's always someone nerdier than you.
Whatever the reason, you may have inadvertently trained yourself that work = dissatisfaction. The solution may be to try to train yourself out of this. You know yourself the best; figure something out.
Suggestions:
- pair programming. Instant social rewards, shared victories, less chance of distraction.
- accomplish something smaller but still valuable. Start a fucking Blogger account, fuck managing yet another stupid piece of software.
- visualize what it will be like once the task is accomplished. Do you feel better? If so, try to keep your "eyes on the prize". (If worse, re-evaluate).