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Comment by lubesGordi | Hacker News Reader

I left silicon valley because of agile development. Sprinting all the time was the thing that lead to my burnout, and when we finally released our app, the company was pivoting and 'going epic mode'. I quit then.

In retrospect it would've been fine if I had taken a more relaxed attitude towards it all. Sprints don't mean you have to literally sprint. Epic mode is just a narrative. Work at your pace and it'll be fine.

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>I left silicon valley because of agile development. Sprinting all the time was the thing that lead to my burnout...

Hard work doesn't cause burnout. Constantly feeling like you have no control or impact causes burnout.

You are right but to expand on it, hard work with an arbitrary often impossible deadline without working OT definitely contributes. One can only run on the treadmill for so long before something breaks.

I don't think you can really have a generic "this is why you're burnt out" or "that's not real burn out => look over here!".

There could be many reasons why someone is in a burnt out state - from lack of control, to being over-worked, being constantly over stimulated, emotional trauma or any number of other reasons.

It's something unique to the individual and is not always obvious.

I think they’re pointing out that if you feel like what you’re doing really matters then burn out doesn’t happen. Assuming there aren’t factors outside work.

I strongly believe burnout is a for of depression.

> I think they’re pointing out that if you feel like what you’re doing really matters then burn out doesn’t happen.

I think the response pointed out this is false.

Overwork causes burnout.

I agree, I've found that there aren't many things as effective at burning out devs than agile methodologies as they are practiced at most places.

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