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  • E02 - Avoiding Burnout

    E02 - Avoiding Burnout
    2025/12/16


    In this episode, we tackle the elephant in the room for so many developers: burnout. Whether you're just starting out or you've been coding for decades like us, the constant pressure to learn, ship, and stay relevant takes a serious toll. I share my own experiences with that Sunday evening dread and how setting boundaries at home became non-negotiable. Nate opens up about the challenges of remote work and why sometimes you need to physically walk around the block just to signal the start or end of your workday. We get real about the warning signs we've ignored and the lessons we've learned the hard way.


    What makes developer burnout unique? For starters, there's the always-learning treadmill where a new framework or tool drops every single day. Then there's the invisible nature of our work (no one sees that incredible algorithm you spent weeks perfecting), the context switching between meetings and deep work, and that nagging feeling that our projects are never really done. We discuss how social media amplifies imposter syndrome, why learning to say no might be your most important skill, and how finding fulfillment outside of code isn't just nice to have, it's essential for long-term sustainability in this career.


    Key Highlights:

    🏠 Setting Work-From-Home Boundaries: How creating rituals like changing outfits or walking around the block helps distinguish work time from personal time, and why your family needs to know when you're 'on air.'

    📚 The Always-Learning Treadmill: Why you don't actually have to learn everything, how to deal with FOMO, and the reality that technologies come along like buses every 10-15 minutes (you won't miss the only one).

    ⚠️ Recognizing Warning Signs: From Sunday evening dread and physical symptoms like headaches to irritability with teammates, these are the red flags that you're heading toward burnout (and why you need to take action immediately).

    🔄 Context Switching is Killing Your Productivity: Why a five-second interruption costs you 15 minutes, how to protect your maker schedule, and the power of focus time blocks and 'no meeting Wednesdays.'

    👻 The Invisible Nature of Our Work: Unlike a construction worker who can point to a building, developers create invisible solutions that only other developers appreciate, and why this contributes to burnout.

    🎯 Learning to Say No: How setting clear goals and priorities helps you decline the wrong opportunities, why data matters when negotiating with your manager, and the importance of protecting your time.

    🤝 Talk to Your Manager: Why having open conversations about burnout won't get you fired (good managers want to keep you), how to create action plans together, and when it's time to ask for a project change.

    ⛳ Finding Fulfillment Outside of Code: From golf leagues to weightlifting to puzzles with the family, why scheduling hobbies and protecting that time is essential for recharging and preventing burnout.

    🌐 Building Your Professional Network: How regular one-on-ones with trusted colleagues help combat FOMO, provide emotional support, and give you access to expertise outside your own domain.

    Resources & Next Steps:

    🌐 Visit the official Fundamentals of Software Engineering website at fundamentalsofswe.com

    🎧 Subscribe to the Fundamentals of Software Engineering Podcast on your favorite podcast platform
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    54 分
  • E01 - 👋🏻 Hello, Fundamentals

    E01 - 👋🏻 Hello, Fundamentals
    2025/12/09
    Launching the Fundamentals of Software Engineering Podcast with Dan Vega and Nate SchuttaWe are thrilled to introduce Episode One of the Fundamentals of Software Engineering podcast. In this inaugural episode, we share the origin story of how this book and podcast came to be, starting with a simple tweet about goals for the year. I talk about how Nate responded to my tweet saying he could help with at least two of my goals, and that's when our collaboration began. We dive into the challenges of writing a technical book, from multiple rounds of editing to finding the right balance between comprehensive coverage and keeping content accessible. We also discuss why we decided to launch this podcast as a companion to the book, allowing us to explore topics we couldn't fit into the manuscript and go deeper on subjects that matter most to software engineers at every stage of their career.Throughout this episode, Nate and I introduce ourselves, share our backgrounds, and talk about what gets us excited about this industry. From my early days falling in love with web development to Nate's transition from chemistry to computer science, we reflect on our journeys and the lessons we've learned along the way. We talk candidly about imposter syndrome, the importance of learning to learn, and why reading code is often more important than writing it. We also touch on our shared passion for golf, spending time with family, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance in an industry that never stops evolving. This podcast is for anyone who wants to level up their software engineering skills, whether you're just starting out or have years of experience under your belt. Join us as we explore the fundamentals that make great software engineers and help you navigate your career with confidence._______________________________________________________________________________Key Highlights:📖 The Book's Origin Story: How a tweet about New Year's goals sparked a collaboration between Dan and Nate, leading to the creation of Fundamentals of Software Engineering. We discuss how the book evolved from Nate's initial online training sessions to a comprehensive guide covering essential topics that aren't always taught in traditional education.🎯 Bridging the Education Gap: We explore the significant differences between what's taught in universities, bootcamps, and what you actually need to know on the job. Whether you have a four-year degree focused on theory or completed a 14-week intensive bootcamp, there's always a learning curve when joining a real development team. Our book aims to fill that gap and provide the institutional knowledge that helps new engineers become productive faster.📚 Reading Code Over Writing Code: One of the most fundamental yet overlooked skills in software engineering is the ability to read and understand code. We emphasize that engineers spend far more time reading existing code than writing new code, especially in an era where AI-generated code is becoming more prevalent. Learning to navigate unfamiliar codebases, identify patterns, and understand legacy systems is crucial for career success.🎤 From Introverts to Conference Speakers: We share our personal journeys from being uncomfortable with public speaking to becoming regular conference presenters. Many assume all speakers are extroverts, but most of the people we know in the conference circuit are actually introverted. We encourage anyone interested in speaking to start with local user groups and remember that you have a unique perspective worth sharing, regardless of your experience level.🧠 Learning to Learn in Tech: The technology landscape changes constantly, and what worked five years ago might be obsolete today. We discuss the importance of developing meta-learning skills and understanding that you're signing up for a lifetime of continuous learning when you enter this industry. The key is not trying to learn everything but rather developing strategies to learn efficiently when you need to and recognizing which technologies are worth investing time in versus which ones you can skip.⚠️ AI's Impact on Junior Developers: We tackle the concerning trend of companies relying heavily on senior developers with AI tools while reducing opportunities for junior developers. This creates a dangerous situation where we have masters with no apprentices. We emphasize that failure and struggle are essential parts of the learning process, and using AI as a crutch rather than a tool to amplify existing knowledge can prevent developers from building the foundational skills they need to progress in their careers.⛳ Finding Balance Through Hobbies: To avoid burnout in our fast-paced industry, we stress the importance of having hobbies and interests outside of work. Both of us share a passion for golf, and we talk about how spending time with family and engaging in activities that take us away from screens helps us maintain perspective and recharge. The ...
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    54 分