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Discussion on: Developer burnout is real

 
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Daragh Byrne

No problems, I'm here to help!

Firstly let me answer your specific question - yes, it's normal to struggle when getting back into coding, whether you are burnt out or not. It's an essential part of the flow cycle - I experience it myself. Humans have what's known as "working memory" which is where you store your active task. Part of the job of coding involves populating that working memory with a model of the system and problem at hand. Naturally when you step away from a problem for a while your working memory gets filled with something else, and it can take a while to put the problem back in there.

That said, if that's something persistent, it's either a question of motivation or energy. It sounds like you're managing your energy well. So perhaps it's motivation. There's a sweet spot between skill and challenge that you need to hit to find your most productive flow. You can read my thoughts on that here:

Perhaps you can work on adjusting both? Make something that you really care about, something that would actually make your life better if it existed.

Your working life will alternate between these states so expect it. Some weeks code flows from the fingertips, others it doesn't. If it persists for a long time then it's time to consider whether you're burnt out. Perhaps, and if so, I can definitely help!

Check out the rest of my writing at codingmindfully.com, there's plenty out there about this.