6 Ways to Counter Burnout When Working in Tech

A quick search for “tech burnout” on Reddit paints a pretty dismal picture:

“The full-time work and intensity of the tech industry is killing me” r/cscareerquestions

“Burned out of the tech industry- what next?” r/findapath

“Burnout, when did you quit, and why do you stay on?”r/siliconvalley

Discussions about how exhausted, frustrated and underappreciated tech workers feel aren’t just happening on forums like Reddit. Big publications — like Harvard Business Review, Business Insider and Inc are covering this problem (and its implications) too. 

With all this discourse, it’s hard to feel hopeful — especially if you’re already suffering from tech burnout yourself. 

In this article, we will:

• Share a list of preventative actions to avoid full-blown tech burnout 
• Discuss effective strategies to minimize its effects if you’re in the thick of it

Before we get into how to combat burnout, let’s first explore why burnout has become so ubiquitous in the tech industry, how to know when you’re experiencing it and the negative toll it can take on your work, your physical health and your mental capacity if you let it.

Understanding tech burnout

What is tech burnout?

In terms of symptoms, tech burnout isn’t too different from regular burnout. Those who suffer from tech burnout start to feel like their job is meaningless. They’re chronically stressed and exhausted. They have a hard time finding joy in the things they used to love doing.

Why is burnout so common in tech?

The drivers of tech burnout also line up with the standard culprits of traditional burnout: long hours and high stress. But there are a few nuances to this industry that have contributed to higher rates of burnout in recent years:

• Rapid innovation cycles. These days, companies don’t have just one other competitor — they have dozens, even hundreds (particularly if they’re in a growing space like AI). That means there’s immense pressure to stand out. And you can’t stand out if you’re not releasing new features at a super fast clip.
• Remote work equals being constantly on call. The switch to remote work has brought some great benefits, particularly for working parents, people who are neurodivergent and those who are caring for aging loved ones. But it’s come with negatives, including the feeling that you’re constantly “on.” Pings, emails and calls coming in at all hours of the day make employees feel like they don’t have real downtime away from work.
• Ambiguous roles and responsibilities. Tech startups are notorious for hiring people who can “wear many hats,” which often translates to “people who will do the jobs of multiple people.” Over time, these jills of all trades get overworked and can’t perform at the level their company wants them to.
• Unlimited PTO. While this is an undeniable perk, it’s one that many employees don’t use. They’re afraid that if they take a week off things will fall off the rails — which can be true if you’re juggling multiple responsibilities at a small company. Other team members are too preoccupied with what’s on their plate to step in.

Burnout can be hard to recognize until you’re so deep in it that it feels impossible to get out. Knowing what burnout looks like for you can help you realize what’s happening and nudge you in a healthier direction.

See more: 5 SaaS companies powering nonprofit work.

Early signs and symptoms of tech burnout

Feelings of dread, lethargy and apathy are hallmarks of tech burnout, but other warning signs may crop up even earlier. Things like:

• Lashing out at others
• Having trouble sleeping
• Skipping things in your normal routine
• Canceling social plans more frequently
• Procrastinating small tasks

For me, something’s going on when I start to suffer from revenge procrastination. Instead of hitting the hay early — because I know I need good sleep to function — I have the urge to scroll on my phone, watch TV or do something else unproductive because I didn’t get enough time in the day to decompress.

My sleep, and therefore my cognitive functioning, takes a massive hit. To make matters worse, I then feel guilty for putting myself in that position and a vicious cycle starts.

Impact of burnout on health and performance

Without the motivation or confidence to work at the level you usually do, it’s easy to lose track of time, show up unprepared for important meetings and generally let things slip through the cracks.

Even more importantly, prolonged burnout does a number on your physical and mental health. According to a recent American Psychological Association blog, sustained workplace burnout increases your risk of developing short-term memory loss, depressive disorders, hypertension and type-2 diabetes.

So, what can you do to protect yourself? Below, we offer tips and tricks for avoiding burnout from people who have experienced it firsthand.

How to counter tech burnout

Set clear boundaries for work and personal life

We’re starting with this one because it’s the hardest and the most important. Clear sign-on and sign-off times can narrow your focus when you’re at work and help you stick to family and personal commitments that keep you feeling your best.

To make this easier on himself, Kevin Shahnazari, founder of FinlyWealth, uses the sunset as his boundary enforcer.

“When I started to feel burnt out, I developed a ‘sunset shutdown’ habit. Every day at sunset, no matter what's left undone, I leave my desk and take a short walk. There's something natural about this daily deadline that keeps work from spilling into evening hours. It's equal parts physical movement and mental reset and it's been fundamental to sustaining long-term energy levels.”

Try building this kind of structure into your calendar. If you use a tool like Calendly, block off the times when you’re most productive so that clients, customers and internal stakeholders can only book during the off times. That way, you’re still accommodating them without compromising your best working hours.

Take regular breaks to disconnect

Powering through the whole day without stopping to eat a proper meal is not good for you, your work output or your peers. You need to stop and smell the roses once in a while.

David Schur, Associate Director at Accenture shares, “I guess I felt with this shift to remote work I felt forced to ‘prove my value’ continuously. So I accepted every meeting invite, responded to pings and calls right away and ended up overwhelming myself.”

One way to remember to take regular breaks is by strategically scheduling workout classes, coffee chats or walks during the week. These activities are effective because:

• It’s harder to skip a class that’s already paid for
• You’ll be more committed if it’s an activity planned with a friend
• The breaks — and the activities — are both beneficial for well-being
• You are likely to feel accomplished if you follow through
• These are phone-free activities

Engage in activities that help you manage your stress

What did you love to do when you were little? What makes you feel most like yourself? Put a little more of that into your life.

You might also consider:

• Meditation: Cata Zorzini experienced burnout in 2012 after going through a business incubator. With meditation, he found his way back to himself and, ironically, stumbled upon a new career. He created some of the most successful free mindfulness apps, Plum Village and Earth.fm.
• Sleep improvements: Sleep is a huge predictor of your effectiveness and your happiness. Unfortunately, many tech workers have an unhealthy relationship with caffeine, which can severely impact their sleep. Cutting back on the coffee, or limiting it to a certain amount of cups or before the afternoon can help improve sleep.
• Exercise: Movement is fuel for your body and brain. It regulates your mood, gets you out of the house and helps you sleep better.

Seek out support

If you’re seeing the warning signs of burnout, here’s who you can turn to:

• Your management: If you don’t feel you have a clearly defined role or you’re struggling to keep up with your workload, talk to your boss. They can help you refine your list of priorities, request another team member or intern to balance your workload or unlock budget for technology that will automate some of your busy work. And if your manager doesn’t seem to get it, speak with your HR team.
• Mental health professionals: You might also consider talking with a mental health professional or counselor. They are trained to help you see things in a more objective light, identify new boundaries to set and find ways to incorporate more balance into your life.
• Friends and pets: Friends can also be a tremendous support. There are a few old work friends I know I can count on to talk things out. They listen attentively and offer advice if I ask for it. Support can also come in non-human form, too. 

Related: Tech jobs according to dog breeds.

Practice continuous learning without overloading yourself

Some tech roles can be monotonous. A great way to break up the tedium and keep your brain engaged is to learn something new. The learning activity can coincide with what you do for work, but it doesn’t have to — as long as it exercises your mind in a different way. 

Another way to break up the monotony of the day is to switch up what you’re working on. June Escalada, Founder of IllustratorHow, breaks up her week up into blocks of concentrated work, upskilling and creative exploration. 

“Mondays are reserved for critical tasks, while Wednesdays are for learning something new related to my business or design. Fridays are for engaging the right brain — trying a new illustration style or experimenting with a different design tool. This ensures that I'm not just churning out work mindlessly but actively growing, innovating and enjoying the process.”

Take time off

Vacation days are there for a reason. Everyone — even a CEO — needs time away from their work to recharge and refuel their mind with new ideas.

Dennis Lenard, founder of UX design agency Creative Navy, explains, “Our cognitive resources are precious and can be quickly depleted. A car can’t run on empty, so why would a human being? Without time to recharge, I wouldn’t be half the professional I am.”

To help get back into the swing of things after time off, give yourself some buffer, like taking off an additional day to get back into the swing of thing. 

If taking extended breaks isn’t possible, consider what Derek Pankaew, founder of Listening.com, calls “micro-adventures.”

“Instead of waiting for a long vacation (which seldom comes in startup life), I take short, rejuvenating breaks. This could be a mid-week hike, trying out a new cooking class or even just an afternoon off to explore a part of the city I've never been to. These brief departures from work help reset my mind and often spark new ideas.”

How to prevent burnout in tech workplaces

As an individual, you are in charge of the way you handle tech burnout. But if you’re a manager, it’s not only your well-being you have to concern yourself with — your team’s morale and performance matter. Make a point to:

Promote a healthy work culture

The best managers are the ones you’re not afraid to talk to when there’s a problem. Be the person that listens, understands where people are coming from and takes action. 

Belinda Conde, Head of Marketing at Datos, makes a point to check in with her direct reports about how they’re actually doing proactively: “Not enough people talk about how much more challenging it is to grasp how your team members are doing emotionally when you don’t see them face-to-face in an office for several hours a day. Having honest conversations about their overall well-being really has to be part of your regular team check-ins.”

A good way to get people to open up? Talk about it yourself. You could even open the conversation with a learning from this article.

Emphasize role clarity and workload management

If you’re in a position to do so, make sure that any roles you hire for have clearly outlined roles and responsibilities. This will not only make it easier for your direct report to meet your expectations, it’ll also make it easier for them to achieve work-life harmony — and it’ll make it easier for you to assess their performance later.

Set a reminder to go into your project management tool before each week starts and look at what everyone is assigned to. If necessary, have a conversation in Monday’s standup about redistributing the workload.

Take stock of where you’re at

Our last tip? Check in with yourself — regularly. Put it in your calendar. Maybe even sync it up with other work meetings like QBRs so you remember to do it. Whatever it takes, carve out 15 minutes to check in with yourself. How are you really doing?

If you’re not where you want to be, pick one or two burnout prevention strategies you can put into practice today. Your future self will thank you.