(This was a meetup talk/discussion, here for people who would have wanted to attend but couldn't and want to read the intro to ask follow-up questions.)

As a software developer, I've been on and off many projects over the years - different role on the same project, another project in the same company, and sometimes it's time to switch companies.

It's a balance of what gives and takes my mental energy at work..

• + focus on real user problems
• - starting from a solution, finding a problem that fits
• + clear steps forward
• + defined-enough scope before implementation
• - multiple stakeholders who all need to review code/design/test/product fit and one of them doesn't have time, but comes back few days later to reopen an issue
• - merge conflicts between my own 6 PRs, because someone else renamed a folder and I modified files with multiple features that all wait for reviews
• + quick review and merge, next iteration in next ticket
• + boring technology that solves a problem
• + new technology that solves a problem
• - new technology because someone was a hype junkie
• + simple to start, infinite to master
• - learning cliff to start, then boring while impossible to remember random config
• - interviews with 5 rounds / whole-day project / recording myself how I explain my thinking into the void
• + just hopping on a project with ex-colleagues / friends
• - back pain from long sitting
• + daily walks
• - "almost" working tools
• - LLM chatbot "agents"
• + community-driven events, conference volunteering, ...

..and about what I can do to keep the balance positive at a given environment. It's mostly about prevention, I have never collapsed from burnout yet, but many times, it's been less fun than I would have wanted.

Questions?