I'm nowhere near many people on this board, but I find myself getting lazy as my net worth grows. I don't want to buy a house on the verge of recession, but I considered putting money into that, just to make me feel poor again, and light a π₯ under my π. I know this is a severe first world problem, but the less I need the money, the more annoyed I am with the tech industry as a whole, the less likely I am to endure LC grinds, etc... but at the same time I don't know what else I even want to do, so I keep showing up to work, but it is a sad existence. I don't need much to live, I have everything I want aside from the things you can't buy, I am but a simple man. I prefer to live in less dense environments, and I think that would make me a lot happier, but I can't stomach the commute as long as I need to be working, and I feel guilt-tripped into "muh millenial urban lyfe", because everyone just assumes that if you are single and late 20s that you would want to live in the city, but the same people who perpetuate this are either real estate developers, or people who's only idea of having fun is eating/drinking somewhere outside their house. I'm super burned out, which is making this all worse. I don't know if I want to leave tech, or if I just need a break. I tried 2 weeks vacation, I didn't even go anywhere special, but nothing is making me feel better. No one will believe me on here, but I feel like I'm treated really well at work, but I'm just uninspired and not sure if I believe in my org's mission anymore. Considered just quitting and taking 6mo-1year off, but I'm worried that if I still felt this way after that time was up, that I would have a really hard time getting re-hired anywhere (due to my own apathy). Anyone with similar thoughts? How did you overcome your rut?
I like this. Good job. Keep doing this
It seems like you're depressed, consider seeing a therapist
I've struggled with depression my entire life for sure, but it's even more depressing considering being medicated for the rest of my existence, because it's not like anyone can cure it. For better or worse, this is me, I just want to manage it better. I don't believe in psych as an industry, it hardly seems like a science.
A therapist can help you manage it better without medication
Take a sabbatical do something new 2wice a week. Go for a cooking class, go for a blind date, swim with the dolphins, play dnd with strangers, enter an eating competition. Just do things you would normally not do maybe u will find fun again and new drive. If you took 2 weeks off and I did nothing it means that u work for nothing, maybe this will give u a new goal and something to look forward to.
I just meant that I didn't go anywhere, but I still pursued my hobbies in that time, but this is still good advice.
I burned out reading such a long post with no mention of TC
I don't want to make this sound like a humblebrag, even though my numbers aren't special.
> I'm super burned out βοΈ This. Money isn't making you lazy, bad WLB is killing your motivation.
Like I said in my post the company treats me really well, I personally don't have bad WLB, although when I started here I put a lot of myself into it.. but it was voluntary. Maybe I'm feeling the after effects, but most people in my team go home on time.
Burn out is real. 6 months to 12 months off is a great idea, but have a plan to do a side hustle or something during that time to keep you sharp and engaged. Do you have a faith community or family? The stuff I value most in life comes from that and not money or company.
I don't really have any family, 2-3 people. Community.. not sure, in what capacity? I'm very single as well.
TC?
Hey, I'm brand new to the tech industry, just want to say that so far my observation is people here are waaay too conservative in terms of making any changes. In most professions, it is normal for someone to quit and travel the world, get a different degree, do something interesting for a while with much less savings and/or job security than pretty much anyone in tech (there's very large demand and variety of companies compare to most other job). I personally completely change career every few years and spend year-long stretches of time doing things that does not generate profit =) I feel that if you are a software engineer in your late 20s, there is absolutely nothing to worry about, just come up with something you want to try, and quit your job to do it for a while, see where life brings you~
Interesting thoughts, I'm more of an SRE type, but I think your advice still holds true. I could even move somewhere cheaper for a while, and then get relocation back to a busy area when I was ready to rejoin the rat race.
Pitfalls of working in FAANG π