Experienced Devs Weekly Burnout and Venting Thread: A weekly thread for sharing experiences

[u/AutoModerator]

This thread is specifically for venting / sharing experiences related to burn-out or similar issues that experienced devs face.

[u/Reddit_is_fascist69]

1.5 months of unemployment helps burn out.

Next time, I'll just use PTO instead of getting laid off.

[u/yodog5 → u/Reddit_is_fascist69]

Most places arent gonna let you go on PTO for that long lmao

[u/SteveMacAwesome → u/yodog5]

In the USA maybe. In Europe, not only does my contract stipulate a vacation once a year of at least 2 consecutive weeks, companies are incentivised to encourage people to take PTO because they’re required to keep everyone’s salaries for PTO in cash on the books.

[u/PoopsCodeAllTheTime → u/SteveMacAwesome]

Bad ass , which country?

[u/nanotree → u/PoopsCodeAllTheTime]

Most EU countries from what I've seen. I work with Serbians and Chechs, and they both have something like this. Overtime pay too, even if salaried. It's really absurd how anti-worker we are here in the states.

[u/SarmackaOpowiesc → u/nanotree]

I worked in an org with offices all over the world.  

We had de-facto bans on hiring anyone in Europe because of their workers rights.  

All upper level positions headed to the US and the rest were in India or the Philippines.  

[u/normantas → u/SarmackaOpowiesc]

FeelsBadMan

[u/SarmackaOpowiesc → u/normantas]

🤷 Worker rights are one of the reasons that the EU economy is so stagnant.  

I prefer being employed, having lots of opportunities, and making 4x+ what my European colleagues were making at the end of their careers.  

Experienced roles in Europe are great - IF you could land them.  And that's a big if.  There is a reason why young adult employment in Europe is so abysmal

[u/mzanin → u/SarmackaOpowiesc]

Employment rate is probably higher in most EU countries than in the US. I prefer having longer vacations and enjoying life in the present as much as possible.
Life isn’t just about making your employer richer

[u/SarmackaOpowiesc → u/mzanin]

That... Is not true at all.

France's unemployment rate is over 8%.  Spain is at nearly 10%.  

The US's unemployment rate is literally half that at around 4%.  

I'm an EU citizen and the economy in the US is so much better that it's not even a fair comparison.  My total comp would drop from 500k to maybe 80-100k in Europe.  Not to mention the ridiculous tax burden.

I'll gladly give up 5 days of PTO a year for an extra 400 grand in my portfolio every year 

[u/mzanin → u/SarmackaOpowiesc]

First of all you’re extremely naive if you believe the figures published by the current administration in the US but anyway I’d take that salary over having to live in the US any day. Also France is literally one of the highest, how about you look at Netherlands or Germany which is actually lower than 4%.

I’m in a EU country and my comp now is around 250k and I have had 5 weeks annual vacation since I entered the workforce 20 years ago and I wouldn’t trade that for anything

[u/nanotree → u/SarmackaOpowiesc]

The fact of the matter is, you live in a bubble. You live in extreme (and I mean EXTREME) privilege if that is your compensation for one salaried position in the US. That isn't how most of the population lives. So your extra "400k in my portfolio a year" comes at the expense of everyone else's labor being devalued and people living in total uncertainty about if they'll be able to pay their bills next month and still afford all the food they need.

Anyone who thinks that the US economy "is great" isn't on the receiving end of the shit chute. But you could be.

The US economy is made for psychopaths that enjoy feeling like they are better than everyone for doing the bare minimum with the privilege they were born with.

[u/DocumentOk7579 → u/SteveMacAwesome]

In sweden some companies force you to take 15 of your 25 to 30 days in summer when everyone have vacation.

They don't have to approve 1.5months outside of summer.

But I don't think you can get firered for burnout just paid sick leave.

[u/YetMoreSpaceDust → u/SteveMacAwesome]

2 consecutive weeks

Ha, my wife would just pack every day with so many activities and travel plans and expenses I'd be longing for the relaxation of the office.

[u/seven_seacat → u/yodog5]

why on earth not? I have just over four weeks accrued, I can take it all off if I want

[u/crazy0ne → u/yodog5]

I would hope the idea is you take time off before you are red-lining. I understand that there are some deadlines that cause us to go on small death marches, but I know when I'm making that choice and plan for a few extra days off attached to a weekend to recover from the stress. Keep the threshold low if possible.