I’ve been working in the industry for over a decade. I used to love writing code and designing systems on my free time and at work with other colleagues. Nowadays I still love doing side projects and reading tech stuff (books, documentation, open source), but I don’t like, and in most cases I hate, dealing with software engineering topics at work.

Main reason being I don’t feel engaged with any company, I think most of the topics discussed with other engineers are not important (who cares if we use Java or Go? This company is not even profitable!), and because management usually doesn’t help much.

So, I’m not sure. When I hear about developers burning out, it seems they don’t want to touch code at all. But that’s not my case.

I don’t think I’m depressed but I see myself as a cynic at work: thinking we all are doing useless stuff but no one but myself can see it. I can carry out, but I would love to believe I’m not the only one who thinks this way.

Not being passionate about what you're doing at work is your sign that perhaps it's a good time to leave. Of course, find another job first and then leave.

Before you do that, take an honest assessment of why you're no longer passionate about your current employer. You need to understand why they no longer scratch your itch, why they no longer excite you. See if you can identify traits to be on the lookout for when seeking new employment. You'd really hate to leave one place that's not exciting you just to go somewhere else that's not exciting you, either.

Find other work or be grateful for stability?

You could go deeper inside, like a samurai code monk, and let nothing of impermanence affect you.

Either way, the burnout comes the days after the crash! Best way to not burn out is not crash!

Stay off stimulants, eat decently and exercise regularly, these will clear the mind and stave off burnout like it is a pesky cold that only comes when you are too lazy in your ways you didn’t see it coming!