Key point:

> Of course, these tips may not help if you’re a wageslave and your job is to write code.

I think in many (not all) people, burnout happens because you are not in control of what you do. If you can't adjust course when stress is at the manageable stage, eventually it will become unmanageable.

Stopping when you've finished the small task you set is a tough one for me. If I feel like I'm getting things done I want to keep going. This means I work until I can't make any more progress and give up.

If I stop after the task is done, I'll be finishing on a success rather than a failure.