Yes, definitely. In job, I was just thrown in a project that uses a lot of hot new tech that I do not know - learning it allows me to not be fired (job pays way above market, so it makes sense) and is also keeping me in the loop tech-wise. Between jobs, I studied more math-based, quite intense areas of programming with an intention of switching from what i'm doing right now to that field (hasn't happened yet).
> Maybe you really like learning but need to pick up something else, to give your brain a break. Maybe you need to do something with your body instead of your mind. Burnout is real, and people need to change in order to grow
I'm close to FIRE in terms of money, so I'll be able to take as many breaks as I want soon. I'm just trying to find a way to both enjoy tech work (something that happens naturally for me) without exhausting myself and feeling miserable, so that I can stay in tech even after FI. Right now, I feel like I some kind of mental invalid, where the work leaves me too tired mentally to even go outside for a walk... That is no way to live long-term.
Also, people who know me tell me I need to learn to relax. Maybe if I could learn to turn off my brain for a couple hours a day, I wouldn't burn myself out. Right now I'm trying to do that with moderate alcohol usage lol, but obviously it's not a solution. The problem is, my brain always wants more stimulation. Perhaps I need to do some meditation or dopamine detox (I'm on a screen for 80-90% of my waking hours). The problem with that is that sounds like misery as well... I guess the eastern wisdom that life is unavoidable suffering no matter what you do is right on the money.