Career Burnout/Stress - My next step?

jamiekeen

I know this question is heavily focused with I.T so if please feel free to point me to a better I.T focused forum as you see fit.

Essentially I have been involved in Web Development for almost a decade, in that time I worked for a number of companies (mainly small companies) - as I get older (in my 30's now) it seems to be harder and harder to stay motivated with the constant learning of so many new technologies.

I feel that I am slowly burning out and starting to hate everything related to web programming and in turn my overall 'skill' is diminishing. My current project at work is behind somewhat and somedays feels like it is going backwards. I have project managers that have no real knowledge in the field so cannot offer any real advice technically. As things start to spiral it affects my everyday life too, I am less social, this in turns leads to me being less active, putting on weight and finally having a feeling of mild depression setting in.

I know that I need to do something as I know it will only get worse I'm just in a loop into what I should do next?
As a senior web developer - perhaps taking on a much lesser role, as silly as it sounds I'd be happy taking a pay-cut doing a more junior/mid level role instead where the demands on me are less.

Personally I am thinking about taking a 'sabbatical' from work for a few months (I've got enough savings to last me for some time) - and in this time try to get myself back in shape both mentally, physically and emotionally. I'd hope after 3-6 months I'd be mentally ready to jump back into a new role fully refreshed.
As a web developer I do wonder what other roles I could realistically do, I would possibly do a more management approach even if this meant starting at the bottom.

Any thoughts on the topic would be appreciated... p.s Sorry if this isn't best place for this - as a programmer this is how I think unfortunately

P.S I'd also be interested in other people with how they also deal with issues of burnout in their particular field (even those outside of IT)

[Deleted User]

I took a year out (lucky to have built up good pot of savings) with a view to finding something more enjoyable and less stressful. I relaxed, caught up with friends and generally took life slow. However by the end of the year, I was desperately bored and chomping at the bit to get back to the hustle and bustle. I found a similar job and am really loving it. Probably more to do with better team/ management/ culture of company than being "refreshed", but time out really helps put things in perspective.

Shoey1610

Not in IT, but I experienced burnout in a job late last year. I just ended up not being able to stand doing it any more. I took 6 months off (and I know that I am very lucky to have been able to do this), played around with some voluntary work and finished my OU degree. I am now three months into a new role in a completely different sector and I truly love it. I think it is down to giving myself some space to think about what I was really good at and would find satisfying.

If you can afford to take a sabbatical, I highly recommend it. You're a long time dead and I wouldn't swop the happiness I have now for anything.

teabelly

Project management for large web projects would seem the logical next step. This way you use your knowledge to do it better than those that know the project management side but are a bit lost with the technical side.

IT is a burn out field unfortunately. It always has been.

Employers hate gaps in CVs so you have to have a good reason to take time out or you'll find you cannot get back into work again.

dandelionclock30

teabelly wrote: »

Project management for large web projects would seem the logical next step. This way you use your knowledge to do it better than those that know the project management side but are a bit lost with the technical side.

IT is a burn out field unfortunately. It always has been.

Employers hate gaps in CVs so you have to have a good reason to take time out or you'll find you cannot get back into work again.

I know lots of people with gaps with one over 15 years and they have all managed to get another job.

DKLS

In the Ops situation and if funds allow, I would be tempted to head off to the far east to do some travelling for 6-12 months, then come back and look for some web consultancy, Web Project/Product manager type roles.

A friend did just that, but found a great job in Kong Kong and is no rush to come back.

directdebiter

Have you tried contracting? This means that you can have breaks more regularly and also might not get so frsutrated at one place of work because you will be only at a client site for maybe 3 or 6 months. Have a look at ContractorUK for contracting specific advice.

Croatoan

I know several people who decided to demote themselves and take a drop in wages and responsibility but are now infinitely happier. Make no mistake, stress can be a killer and if you can handle less money in exchange for an "easier" life, I'd do it. I'm not as convinced that sabbaticals work because in the end you're going back to the job that forced you to take a sabbatical in the first place - and usually nothing will have changed.

scheming_gypsy

directdebiter wrote: »

Have you tried contracting? This means that you can have breaks more regularly and also might not get so frsutrated at one place of work because you will be only at a client site for maybe 3 or 6 months. Have a look at ContractorUK for contracting specific advice.

the only problem with contracting is that you need to earn a decent rate to be able to take breaks.
End of March 2011, my contract ended and I did 8 days in two months and the money ran out. June 2011 I got a contract which lead directly onto another before going back to a regular one which ended on a Friday in September, the following Monday i started another contact that went through to the beginning of January 2012, I finished on the friday and back to a regular contract on Monday morning and I'm still here now.
Since June 2011 I've only had bank holidays and weekends off, apart from a week where I had to do jury duty. Depending on which part of IT you're in, the contract rates aren't as good as they used to be so you can't save as much.

but I'm joining the OP on burnout. I'm starting to hate IT now and just want to get the hell away from it.

System

I'm not in IT but I resigned having been a practice accountant for 6 years. I resigned because I got fed up of idiots that I called colleagues and clients that were also idiots. Working office hours, I was getting home after 10pm regularly.

One day something in me just went. I just couldn't take it anymore. I was paid well, had an excellent CV and worked for a very large, industry leading firm. Yet for all the effort I put in to teach myself every single detail, I would come up against clients that used buzzed words to hide the fact they were morons with a brown nose that would otherwise not even be fit to be employed. And don't even get me started on the colleagues I worked with. My impression of accountants is that there are no average ones. Just dumb or very talented.

My breaking point came when my assistant resigned and was replaced by someone so thick I actually questioned the point of my whole career. It was so bad that she had been rejected outright at the interview and then taken on later as one by one all of the other candidates rejected the firms offer.

So I resigned with thoughts like 'I will take some time off and get myself a less stressful job' or 'I'm just getting a straightforward job this time and don't care about pay'.

My notice period was two months and then I was off for 3 months. TBH the 2 months notice period wasn't really like working. They get my replacement and I hand over and then it is more about 'high level' stuff (which is easy).

When I took the time off, I gradually began to feel less tired, more refreshed and focused. I began looking. So many interviews went by where I could see the person I would be working for is the type of moron I hated at my last job. A couple of good interviews happened where they said they were very sorry to reject me and it had been hard for them to do so.

Then I came across a call for a US company. I thought oh great, corporate b/s again but I was obliged to go for the interview just for practice if not anything else. At the interview, my manager and her manager (CFO) were very honest and really weird. But we clicked. In fact the job was not corporate at all. But I had always said I would not work so hard again in terms of hours. But they genuinely sold it and I was so impressed with what they were offering in terms of development and fortunately the pay was equal (taking account of no longer needing a £4k ticket to London anymore). It was also a move into industry which is where I had always planned to go.

When they offered I did not hesitate despite the long hours (although no where near as long as before). It is not all great TBH. Some days I just want some peace but we have 3 or 4 projects on the go. But overall I would say I have found a place for myself over here.

So my advice to you would be - Take one step at a time. If you are going to make the jump with no job offer in hand then resign first and then take some time for yourself while you see out your notice period. Use this time to begin some serious soul searching. Saying 'I will take a lesser job' is easy but will you still feel that way when you are out of the rat race? May be you will but give yourself some time to actually realise that.

Also consider what you will do if you don't get what you want as your next role.

For me the time off was the best time of my life. Not just because I didn't work but because of all the soul searching I did. I still have a long way to go but I feel more at peace with working and how it impacts my life.

I hope you find what you are looking for

teabelly

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

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I know lots of people with gaps with one over 15 years and they have all managed to get another job.

Were they in IT or another fast moving specialist field? Irrelevant to the OP if they weren't.