I have a job that pays the bills and where I haven’t worked overtime in many years. I start small hobby projects because it’s fun, and I rarely finish them. Because starting a project is fun and finishing usually isn’t. And I do it - remember - because it’s fun.

If I’m going to start pressuring myself to finish hobby projects then it’s not fun any more. That’s work. Not a hobby.

Hobbies might be extra curricular activities to boost your resume for a tiny period before your first job. But once you are hired a) your hobby projects take a much smaller place on your list of achievements and b) your need your hobbies to disconnect from work.

Best advice for avoiding burnout is to switch jobs quickly if you are stressed over work. If you lose sleep over work it’s not worth it. If there is crunch time or expectations that you regularly work over 40 hours per week, get out. Find a job that doesn’t do that. It might not be in some sexy industry it could be in concrete manufacturing or an airline - but that’s the price you’ll have to pay.

Also, don’t be afraid to just take a hobby that doesn’t have a goal other than relaxing and disconnecting. Especially once you land a software job you’ll find that you’ll really want a hobby that isn’t anywhere near software.