As we reach the end of 2025, with rapid developments in tech and beyond, burnout seems to be more prevalent throughout the industry. While burnout is something that is often discussed in tech circles, I believe that the rise of AI and other highly sophisticated systems have (probably unintentionally) made the feeling of burnout even worse for some people. In this post, I want to detail some of the steps I take to reduce or even curb burnout entirely. These steps aren’t 100% and take a fair amount of work, but if the end result is less burnout, then I think they are nonetheless valuable.
Early Warning Signs
The key to beating burnout is to recognize when it is starting to affect you. Everyone has a different threshold for burnout, and it’s up to you to take stock of whether you’re approaching yours. Arguably, the biggest warning sign is a lack of motivation. This can come in many forms, from less excitement with projects you previously were excited about, to simply disengaging from what you’re working on entirely—Just going through the motions. When it comes to realizing that you’re lacking motivation, it can be beneficial to shift projects or simply just your process. This can be from applying a new design pattern, rubber ducking esoteric problems, anything to shift your brain from work to find the ‘why’ in programming: problem solving. Reinvigorating purpose in your work/process is a great way to steer the ship back to being more motivated.
Reduce Cognitive Load
Despite what this may initially look like (Do Less Work), reducing the cognitive load is more about “automating” your process so you don’t have to think about small tasks repeatedly throughout your day. The best way to think about this is to declutter your mental queue. A step I do every night is to write down what I intend to do the following day on a little post-it note. Giving my fresh-in-the-morning self a clear list of things I need to tackle instead of spending time thinking about what needs to be done. While my method is quite old school, there are many programs out there so as Notion, Joplin, or even the reminder app on your phone, that are able to help declutter your queue.
When it comes to reducing cognitive load, this can also be a preventative measure for burnout in the first place. Especially as the year winds down and holidays ramp up, it can be difficult to not only keep track of what needs to be done, but also what is already in the codebase itself. Instead of carrying around the codebase in your head, always be sure to write clear, concise documentation where needed and ensure tasks are clear and well-written. The less time you and others spend deciphering code blocks or task tickets, the more time you can spend actually solving problems. Burnout can come at you quickly from just having to do more-than-necessary thinking.
Disconnect From Comparison
Comparison has always plagued the industry since its inception. Every year, a new unicorn startup is blasted on the news/social media with a developer or similarly tech-minded founder at the forefront. The comparisons to these people, which can be healthy in small doses, often leads to increased/unrealistic work goals. Which, in turn, lead to burnout. The myth of the 10x developer as well, which is further propagated by the advancement of coding AI, has further pushed people into increased burnout and lower productivity on projects they are otherwise passionate about. I’ve been a victim of this, but the main thing to keep in mind is that no developer is able to truly ship a product on their own. Nobody has a 10x toolbox that covers all the bases, not even AI. It is often a joke that AI programs still cannot build a simple frontend website for users. So, the next time you start slipping into comparison when you see the latest social media post or even use AI in your own process, just remind yourself that you have a toolset of skills that cannot be replicated. There’s no need to compare, as that will only lead to burnout and eventually despair.
Take Care of Your Body
The last point I want to touch on may seem a bit obvious, but this industry is inherently sedentary. It doesn’t take much to prove that sitting at a desk all day in front of multiple monitors is not very good for your well-being. I currently live in Rochester, New York, where winter days are often just cloudy and only last until about 5pm. It wasn’t until I started taking vitamin D supplements that I noticed I would have less bouts of burnout throughout the year. Sometimes, it only takes a small adjustment to improve your health and yes, prevent burnout. Taking a small walk every day, breathing exercises, drinking plenty of water, cooking and eating good food. All of these things can do wonders for your physical and mental well-being.
So… Burnout, Yeah?
Though our industry in particular talks about burnout very often, it is important to not forget that you do indeed have control over your reaction to burnout. There are many steps to prevent and improve burnout while you’re in it, but in my opinion, I believe acknowledging the signs and recognizing you are indeed burnt out are most important. Always remember that you’re always growing as a developer in your own journey. Celebrate your achievements and learn from your failures, remember your “why” for being in this industry.