Ask HN: Tricks to enjoy your job more? I love to code, but the pressure of work makes me dwindle both physically and mentally. After lots of conscious effort, I’m back in a good physical and mental state trying to not let work take me down this year. What tips would you give to someone to avoid getting drained by work and politics/human emotions? |
Family and kids makes this more challenging but with clear communication and scheduling my partner and I can both make it work... with the odd chaotic off-cycle.
Ideally try to combine exercise with something you enjoy, so that exercise is the side effect. Then it becomes effortless and something to look forward to.
As an over-worker, but also someone who enjoys their job, I still find it important to make room for these other things in life (physical activities, adventure, music, art, whatever)... they give you perspective and balance in life, and without them work can start to feel overwhelming. Small details start feeling more important than they really are - and I think this is where that feeling of exhaustion can come from, because even though you might be making good progress and delivering value, it stops feeling like it without that perspective.
1. Knowing why I'm doing something.
2. Knowing what I'm going to do before doing it.
3. Having a plan before I start working on something.
4. Make sure the project you're working on has some structure and if you're working in a team, make sure everyone is on the same page.
Thinking about how your career should progress in the future also should make you enjoy work more, this is so it doesn't feel like what you're doing today is going to be what you're going to do forever, personally, not having that vision makes me depressed.
I personally believe most of the mental drain of knowledge work comes from the ambiguity and the fatigue that comes from not having good plans which in turn cause more mistakes, longer work hours and more stress.
Some people also talk about injecting new things into your work which is good, but I also think "mastery" is very fun and rewarding, mastering your test suite framework, your editor, your chosen programming language.
I've been learning a lot of guitar (for the first time in years) during the work day with this method. I may even have a little band soon.
https://www.openculture.com/2022/01/read-the-cias-simple-sab...
Of course, I only do this after finishing the original task. Sometimes, it's possible to work up prototypes in your favorite other language before starting the main task. This often leads to better code (i.e. less code).
The other trick that helped me through the most difficult times was working with my hands outdoors. Over a 7 year period I landscaped my garden and built two sheds in my spare time. I'm pretty sure this was an antidote to looking after a saas.
1. See this job as a stepping stone to the next great opportunity and so you’re not working but taking this as an opportunity to learn a new skill
2. Not enjoying job can mean anxiety about the job, exercise / weights is good to kill the anxiety.
3. Try and get good at what you do and broaden and deepen your skill set so if this job falls through you can easily get the next one
I used holiday and vacation to do my own "pinball" projects (interesting side projects). I also tried to create mini pinball projects in work, such as small scripts to automate things or larger, slightly over complicated scripts to achieve larger targets.
I have only completed the free trial and listened to some of the podcast so far, but some of the ideas like “reframing” are game changing.
If your employer does not have a volunteering program, consider starting one.
(or find an employer that does)
If I think the project is worthwhile, I’m already aligned. If I think it’s stupid, I can’t “align myself” without first being convinced that I was wrong and the project is, in fact, great.
Get your satisfaction in life outside of your job.
The trick is to stop caring so damn much. Your job doesn't need you no matter how good you are. There's 100,000 developers in another country ready to be contracted out to take your place once it becomes fiscally responsible for the company to do so. Keep this in mind at all times while at work. You are replaceable no matter what superlatives they assign to you. In fact, superlatives, 360 reviews, etc are all just carrots dangled in front of you to get you to take more on-call shifts, push yourself harder, skip holidays and meals, etc. They may not overtly indicate this but regardless of how "good" a company is these are fundamental. Paretos principle. 20% of the developers (the morons) do 80% of the work. Don't strive to be the 20%.
The solution? IMO, find some hobbies. Use 'em as excuses to never do extra. The ole "sorry I'm busy with <important thing>" trick. Dedicate the least amount of brain power to work that you can get away with. I often check out mentally for several hours at work. It's probably some kind of survival mechanism but I don't really hate showing up, coasting, and collecting a paycheck. My work still gets done and occasionally I'll even "take one for the team" to get a couple extra positive reviews. Gives me more energy to spend on things I like. It's honestly not my job. I do this at every job. In general, I am far happier not killing myself so the CEO can buy another ferrari. Let the bright eyed new grads learn the hard way.
This is the key right here. Work is just something you do to make money to live and enjoy life. There's other jobs you can go look for if the current one becomes too much of a drag. The company isn't yours, so stop acting like you're an "owner"; you're not, you're just a hired gun. Just do well enough to get some decent reviews, professional contacts, and a pathway to other jobs to ensure your career has a good future, and don't stress out about anything.
So, just stop caring. It's weird how 3 words can be so hard to execute on. But after being one of the morons in the 20% I mentioned earlier I suddenly attained enlightenment after a very deep depression. It's truly a lesson that you seem to only learn once you're beaten into the ground despite doing everything right.
Goes full circle to … work sucks!