Ask HN: How do I get motivated again

15 points by n008 12 years ago | 20 comments

I am currently working as a contractor in vertical advertising, sports betting specifically. Initially, the job was exciting, but now its gotten to a boring point, and on top of that I am the only developer, hence there is zero time to chill-out. Occasionally, I get to respond to support issues on my days off.

My client is a start up with little to no organisation, they want me in the office, and want me to get things done by verbally asking me, constantly changing their minds and, and most times I'd have to switch context constantly.

While the pay is relatively aright, and I have bills to pay, I have lost all motivation to keep on working. I stare at the computer but can't think. I really want to get my motivation back, but don't know how.

Can you share your experiences on how to keep on how to rapidly re-boot?

ma2rten 12 years ago |

Sounds like the advise is obvious: Change jobs! "Vertical advertising for sports betting" sounds like the definition of useless to society. The management issues don't make things better. No pay is worth working at a job like that.

That being said, if changing jobs is not an option in the near future, here are some tips:

1. Take pride in what you do. Try to write the most beautiful code. Learn new technologies. Make Easter eggs.

2. Remove friction and sources of frustration. For example if you write tests, you don't have that felling that you might have broken something after you made a change.

3. Communicate. Explain people how you fell. Probably, people don't realize they are disturbing your concentration. Maybe they can send an email or make an appointment.

4. Plan a vacation.

5. Accept things the way they are. If some days you are not as productive that's okay and ultimately not your fault.

6. See the positive.

Leander_B 12 years ago | |

>> "Vertical advertising for sports betting" sounds like the definition of useless to society.

I work in the same 'industry' and equally dislike it as a whole and also completely lost my motivation.

>> No pay is worth working at a job like that.

Not when you have a family to raise or bills to pay, the thing with this betting industry is that it pays as said relatively to very good. There is also an overload of jobs, and if you are anywhere smart and in this stuff for a bit you can get a pretty good salary. I made a salary jump of about 80% in 3 years working in this industry.

What I hate the most about this industry is that there are some very talented people working in here, which could do much better things then programming systems to make people loose more money then they already do. Makes me sad.

What I do? I am working on some side projects, and just 'grind it out' during the office hours and do what I have to do, time goes by faster. Hoping to get one of my projects off in the next months/years and leave this industry behind for once and all.

Where are you based?

n008 12 years ago | | |

On side projects, the problem is, I have always been passionate about whatever I am work on and have no energy left for side projects. I guess I should just 'grind things out' as you mentioned, and perhaps focus energy on things I care most about, but won't this hamper on productivity?

I am based in London.

n008 12 years ago | |

Thanks, I find the points above helpful. I have taken days off and already working on this. Hopefully, things should get better.

sherm8n 12 years ago |

Man, I've been in your exact position before. It sucks. That's just an understatement. I hated it. When all you're holding on to is the comfort of money then I'd say it's over. My suggestion is to be open and honest with your client. Maybe they know you feel that way too. Since you're the only developer they know they need you. But I think if you both enter a conversation on how to improve the situation, you'll both be happier in the long term.

The best thing that has worked for me when I'm just spinning my wheels is to travel. Enjoy life and appreciate what it has to offer. Changing up your routine will allow your mind to do that. Think hard about what you want to do and live your life now. It's short.

TheSmoke 12 years ago |

Unfortunately there is no recipe for rapidly re-booting yourself, your motivation or anything about you.

There are some red flags here. The request of your presence in the office, not having a roadmap, missing features / bugs list, etc. What I'd do is to get rid of them asap.

But.. There is zero time to chill-out? There is always time and it is flowing. At this point, it doesn't matter if you sit in front of your computer for 12 hours; it's what you've done on your time. Stop. Take 2-3 days off and tell them to organise in the meanwhile. Tell them about how they are consuming you and when you get back at working you want to do things better.

Go out to the nature on your off time. Go to a swimming pool or swim in the sea if you can, ride bicycle, run, read something you've enjoyed in your childhood. Take the computer out of your sight. Spend time with your family, the ones those make you just happy. The idea here is remembering how it's to be happy and productive. Also some thoughts will occur such as are you doing everything as you should? are you alright with the outcome of the work you've completed so far? etc.

Good luck with it and hope you can overcome this.

cpncrunch 12 years ago | |

Well actually there is a recipe for getting your motivation back, and TheSmoke has pointed the way.

[1] Take a week-long break from work and do something enjoyable. If you can't take a break, go to step [2]. [2] In the long-term you need to either fix your attitude to your job, or change your job. If it's a contract job, see if you can last until the end of the contract, then take something else.

I suspect you will need to ditch the job. If you do that, make sure you try to take a break before starting the next time, to give yourself time to reboot your motivation.

If you're starting to experience any kind of serious depression or burnout, you really need to quit the job pretty soon before it gets out of hand (I've been there).

Just remember there are always other opportunities out there - you are never as trapped as you think you are.

n008 12 years ago | |

This helps me to unwind, I actually cycle to work and swim once a week, so far I am in good mental shape, but lack any motivation to work on the project and in that environment.

chris_va 12 years ago |

This sounds like depression/apathy/burnout. If it is just work related, remind yourself that is completely within your power to fix.

Two suggestions:

1) Make sure your human interactions are actually positive. If your clients keep pointing you in different directions and making you context switch, fix that. Spend an hour thinking about how that interaction could be better, and some steps towards making that happen. I've had success with writing down requests on a shared whiteboard, and making sure the people asking understand what you would have to de-prioritize to work on the new shiny thing they are asking.

2) If the job was initially exciting, it can probably be exciting again. You should take a break, or find something not-work-related to spend our time doing (e.g. a hobby).

brothe2000 12 years ago |

I've worked with entrepreneurs like this and they would change their mind on features and functionality week to week. Entrepreneurs are constantly testing new ideas and features to understand what will work.

I compared it to walking a dog. The dog runs around side to side front to back sniffing everything but at the end of the day, the dog is still tied to you and you to it.

If possible get more involved in the actual business and start to build in flexibility and anticipate future enhancements based on the business goals.

If you don't get a say in the business and have no path to equity, leave.

dexxter 12 years ago |

Take some time off - maybe just a week (if you cannot get more). When you get back if you still feel the same about work, it means that its time to move on - maybe to a different job or maybe a different industry.

It's hard to do especially if you have bills to pay. But you are going to have to take that step and make an effort to move on. Work becomes very difficult once you start resenting it.

LouisSayers 12 years ago |

It sounds like you need to step up and put some structure around this project you're working on.

Pull out requirements, prioritise, make weekly iterations, and put yourself somewhere where they can't come and interrupt constantly.

Most importantly, change something. If you always do what you've always done...

Good luck!

n008 12 years ago | |

>> Most importantly, change something. If you always do what you've always done...

I have a feeling this should reset a button somewhere :) Thanks.

vincie 12 years ago |

Damn! This sounds just like my situation! It is fairly chaotic here, no specifications or documentation for work I must do, and no one understands what I do. So I use this to my advantage by learning new skills. Because no one asks me what tools I use (they all think I use C#, I think), I find tools that interest me and learn them by using them in my work. So far I have learned R and Pandas for data, although I am lucky to get a 10M file to use. I have built a desktop app with Ada. I am trying to created LaTeX files from a script. I want to improve my Racket/F#/GIMP/Scribus/Inkscape/Blender/Node.js skills and knowledge, but cannot yet come up with appropriate tasks. But I keep looking! So basically I keep motivated by learning new stuff all the time at their expense.

n008 12 years ago | |

The difference with me is that my client has a rough knowledge of the tools I use, and even make false assumptions about implementation detail.

Sometimes I get pseudo-code as spec requirements, or get told 'solutions' instead of elaborating on the problems at hand. So, I don't get the chance to learn any new stuff besides what's in the pot.

nutela 12 years ago |

You have two options; say what you like and what don't, get to know yourself, what you really want, talk about it. Say you are a real engineer not a code monkey. You want to build something great, not fool around. Tell them they're wasting just time by not being organised.

The second option is to still find what you really really want and find it, and quit.

Being in resistance is just wasting time sorry :-) Good luck!

desouzt 12 years ago |

I run a website which aims to motivate/inspire people daily by showing simple inspiring quotes and videos each day. If you're after that type of reboot - something that will just give you a brief lift, then check it out. I won't post it's name as i don't want to spam - you can see it in my profile. Thanks

phildupre 12 years ago |

It's definitely a challenge to work with founders who are what seems to be trying to figure things out as they go, which results into creative chaos at best or disorganized, aimless destruction at worst. Before concluding that this gig isn't for you, at the very least, make sure you maintain your own standards of quality and responsibility to do the best you can do. Try to be flexible and work with them. Sell them on your ideas as best as you can when you disagree with their always changing ones. But if they disagree, I strongly advise to be flexible and don't let the chaos shake you from your own high standards of professionalism to do the best you can. I'm old school, but I feel you still owe that much to them since this is a contract you agreed to take on. Who knows? If you show you're working hard, your client will begin to trust you more and more when you have a different opinion than theirs. Either way, if things don't improve, you can walk at the end of the contract, but with the integrity that you did your best.

hashtree 12 years ago |

Besides what everyone else has already mentioned, I find great computer science presentations and story/interview based computer science-ish books to be great motivators.

Book examples: In the Plex, Masters of Doom, Steve Jobs, Founders at Work, Coders at Work

iroot 12 years ago |

Been there, done that! I eventually got so frustrated, that i just stood up from my desk and quit the job. Its been 3 months now and loving it.