The Beginning: Expectations vs. Reality

It might sound ironic that, after years of starting and abandoning new blog ideas, I’ve finally committed to writing my first post — and it’s about burnout. This article is a self-reflection on the factors that brought me to this place and my plans to move forward.

Let’s rewind a bit. It’s 2020, and I’m working at a large company. The experience wasn’t quite what I’d expected. Despite building the project from scratch, we relied on outdated practices. My lead didn’t seem to have much more experience than I did — at least, that’s how it felt back then. When COVID hit and we shifted to working from home, my focus gradually drifted from career to family.

The Shift: Finding Balance, Losing Purpose

Eventually, I moved to a different company, and my workaholic habits started to fade. I settled into a routine where I worked strictly during office hours. Over time, I introduced new architecture and automation solutions that eased my workload. The job became almost effortless.

“You’ve found work-life balance and time for yourself,” you might say. But there was a crucial flaw in this setup that I didn’t see at first — and only recently understood. Simplicity and monotony can lead to burnout.

This may sound obvious, but over the past four years, I truly believed I’d hit the jackpot — a dream company. For the last two of those years, however, I stagnated. The ease and routine had quietly eroded my passion, leaving me feeling uninspired and burned out.

The Spark: Challenging Myself to Grow

So, how did I find joy in programming again? I started seeking out projects, tasks, or side work that would push me technically and creatively. Experimenting with unfamiliar technologies and trying out a complex side project gave me back some of the challenge I had been missing.

Setting specific goals for learning new frameworks, design patterns, or even revisiting advanced concepts helped me stay engaged. I enrolled in online courses and joined study groups to keep myself motivated and excited about upcoming industry trends.

While burnout can be isolating, connecting with other developers reminded me why I loved programming in the first place. Joining communities and attending meetups helped me stay inspired and brought a much-needed social component back into my career.

I also took some time to revisit why I entered the field in the first place. Reconnecting with that purpose helped me frame my work in a broader context, making it feel meaningful even if individual tasks didn’t.

Conclusion: Moving Forward

Handling burnout wasn’t an overnight fix, but these strategies gradually helped me rediscover joy in programming. Developer burnout is a real challenge, but by identifying what’s missing — be it challenge, community, or purpose — and intentionally reintroducing those elements, we can create a more fulfilling career path.