3 PROVEN ways to exit the tech burnout
the plateau of seniority
The Plateau of Seniority
In many tech companies, “Senior Engineer” is almost a dead-end title. The problem is that after you hit that level, there may be no obvious path ahead or minimal reward (e.g. 10% salary increase, 100% more responsibility for Staff+). More responsibility lands on your desk but the salary bump looks like a rounding error.
Over time a routine sets in. You can still build features and fix bugs, but the creative excitement is gone. This isn’t classic burnout, it’s boredom. If burnout is an all-nighter run on empty, boredom is driving a familiar road you’ve traveled a thousand times.
Seek New Challenges (New Companies)
So what do you do? One obvious move is to inject novelty into your routine by interviewing at companies you think you can’t get into. FAANG, a top trading, whatever feels scary. Doing that forces you to refresh and extend your skills, often faster than any project at your day job. Even failing is fuel. You come back sharper and hungrier. Suddenly that curveball design question reminds you why coding was fun, and a few intense prep sessions can make even routine tasks feel like puzzles again.
Change Your Role
Another tactic is to side-step the routine instead of head-butting it. Talk to your boss about trying something new. For example, move into a engineering manager role. Then your focus shifts from writing code to coordinating teams, and that fresh viewpoint can feel unexpectedly alive. You could even try a product or dev-rel role. Those switches remind you that the industry is bigger than one codebase.
Start a Side Project
Lastly, engineer your own spark outside 9-to-5 hours. Start a side project, a blog, an app, even an open-source library. Yes, it’s extra work, but it’s on your terms. When you code for something you care about, the job’s drudgery turns back into discovery, and many devs report that weekend projects or blogging rekindle the craft inside them. These passion projects often change how you see the day job. Suddenly those office tasks fit into a bigger picture you care about. At the very least, you’ll pick up new skills and meet interesting people. Often both. While remembering why you loved building things in the first place.
The Bottom Line
All of this boils down to one insight. Tech careers aren’t conveyor belts. Nobody is going to gift you a promotion just because you’ve been patient. If you’re stale, it’s on you to inject change, the industry won’t do it for you.
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Thanks for reading,
Adlet
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