The Thoughts of We

Do computers experience burnout? These days, many developers spend so many hours in front of the computer that they’re unable to focus and feel overwhelmed. In some cases, they even go as far as to isolate themselves by keeping many tabs open and not getting enough sleep. These symptoms are the same as those experienced by humans. Burnout in coding can be caused by several factors. Here are a few of the most common causes of burnout in coders.

Burnout can lead to cynicism. The Yerbo study showed that forty-three percent of respondents indicated that they no longer felt engaged with their work and 27 percent said they didn’t see the value of their work. This lack of purpose can lead to emotional self-defence mechanisms and overwhelm detachment. Many companies are also suffering the consequences of burnout, with negative feedback from employees damaging their reputation and their company.

Another study by Blind surveyed 11,500 software developers and identified six major causes of burnout. Christina Maslach, a psychology professor at UC Berkeley, identified burnout as a result of a dissonance between employees’ expectations and those of their employers. Workload, control, and fairness were some of the factors that increased employee stress. In addition to these, work environment is also a major cause of burnout.

While intensive use of ICT makes it easier to multi-task, the effects of being screen-bound is not beneficial to our health. In fact, it can lead to burnout, especially when prolonged use of screens affects the ability to manage personal and family life. Furthermore, it may be detrimental to the physical well-being of people who are working long hours, such as computer developers. For instance, one study published in Harvard Business Review found that computer users who work 50 hours or 80 hours a week experience no difference in burnout.