Ever smiled on a Zoom call while silently screaming inside?
Yeah—me too.
Burnout isn’t just something that happens to developers under too many Jira tickets.
It hits leaders too.
Hard.
And most of the time, no one even notices.
Because we’re “the strong ones,” right? The ones holding it together. The ones shielding the devs from pressure while juggling changing timelines, angry clients, and Slack notifications that never sleep.
But here’s the truth they don’t put in the tech ecosystem playbook:
Leading tech projects will chew you up if you don’t make space to breathe.
This is my story—and maybe, it’s yours too.
🧠What Burnout Looks Like (from the Driver’s Seat)
Let me paint the picture.
I wasn’t working overtime. I wasn’t “stuck” technically.
But every day started to feel like a weight.
- I felt detached from the work
- I got frustrated over small things
- I started questioning my role
- I was snarky in messages (and I knew it)
- Nothing felt meaningful—even when things went “well”
- It felt chaotic, high-pressure, and... pointless
And the kicker? I was still showing up, still delivering, still smiling.
Because that’s what a good leader does, right?
🧨 The Breaking Point
I hit my limit during a project where timelines were moving targets and the scope shifted more times than a toddler on sugar.
Support was messaging me.
The C-team was chasing me.
The devs were waiting on me.
And I was just... tired.
Tired of carrying the emotional weight no one else could see.
Tired of pretending I had it all under control when it felt like a game of Jenga —one wrong move and everything would collapse.
đź‘Ą The Problem With Quiet Leadership
Can I tell you a secret?
Most leaders won’t admit when they’re struggling—because the job quietly teaches us not to.
“You’re the one with the answers.”
“You’re the one people depend on.”
“You can’t afford to break.”
So we don’t talk about it.
We internalise it.
We joke about “being fine” while staring at 17 unread DMs at 11:43pm.
In my team, we don’t really “talk” about mental health yet. But I try to drop small reminders:
- “Enjoy your weekend and come back refreshed.”
- “Drink water, please.”
- “Take breaks when you need them.”
Little things.
Small cracks of light.
Because maybe, that’s how we start opening the door.
🔄 How I Reset When I’m Running on Empty
There’s no magic fix.
But I’ve learned to spot the signs and pause before I spiral.
My reset kit looks like this:
- Step away from the desk
- Take a walk
- Watch a show (currently binging Ozark)
- Visit friends
- Drink more water
- Laugh at stupid things on the internet And most importantly—I remind myself that this is a job, not my identity.
🛡 Setting Boundaries (Even When It’s Hard)
Now, I have a simple routine to protect my energy:
- Breaks throughout the day
- No overworking for the sake of "urgency"
- Staying hydrated (seriously, it helps)
- Keeping a real work-life balance, not a LinkedIn version of it Leadership doesn't mean being on all the time. It means knowing when to be on—and when to pull back.
🚨 A Wake-Up Call from Me
If you’re reading this and thinking, “Damn, this sounds like me”—you’re not weak.
You’re not alone.
And you’re not failing.
You’re a human trying to lead other humans in a high-pressure, high-speed industry. That takes a lot more than Jira boards and Gantt charts.
It takes empathy.
Self-awareness.
And the guts to say, “I need a break.”
And to the leaders reading this—let me be blunt for a moment:
- Sometimes, we are the reason our teams are burnt out.
- We scope poorly.
- We demand too much.
- We put people last when we should’ve put them first.
We can—and must—do better.
đź’¬ Final Thoughts
So no, this isn’t another “10 tips for self-care” post.
This is a real story. A validation.
And maybe... a permission slip.
To breathe.
To talk.
To lead with honesty, not just efficiency.
✊ You’re Not Alone
If you’re a tech leader quietly carrying too much—pause.
Drink some water.
Take a walk.
Call a friend. - I'm a dm away on Linkdln or X
Ask for help.
You don’t have to do it all.
You just have to be real—and that’s enough.
🫶 Over to You
Have you ever felt burned out as a leader?
What helped you through it—or what didn’t?
I’d love to hear your story.
Let’s talk more openly. It starts with one voice—and maybe that’s yours.
Drop them below 👇
Or find me on LinkedIn —let’s trade notes!
Top comments (1)
Burnout wears many masks—thanks for unmasking one of them.