# Burnout in Software Development - Survey Results 2021

DevFeed: [Burnout in Software Development - Survey Results 2021](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/burnout-in-software-development-survey-results-2021-24991.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://codeahoy.com/2021/10/01/software-developer-burn-out-survey/>)

Author: umer

Published: 2021-10-01T00:00:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Code Ahoy - Articles](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/code-ahoy-articles.md>)

Topics: [Development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/development.md>), [software-development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software-development.md>), [Software Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software-engineering.md>)

Tags: [article](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/article.md>), [covid-19](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/covid-19.md>), [developer](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developer.md>), [developer-burnout](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developer-burnout.md>), [development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/development.md>), [remote-work](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/remote-work.md>), [software-development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software-development.md>), [stress](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/stress.md>), [survey](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/survey.md>), [work](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/work.md>)

## AI overview

This article presents results from a developer survey examining whether the shift to remote work during COVID-19 worsened burnout. It also explains burnout, its symptoms, and common workplace causes such as excessive workloads, unclear expectations, and insufficient support.

## Source excerpt

Burnout is very common in software development. Intense mental focus, heavy workloads, never ending roadmaps, under-staffed teams, unclear targets, and many other factors lead to developer burnout. I have experienced burnout in my career, perhaps twice. Early on, I had mild symptoms and my manager recognized it and helped me manage it. Later, after a very long stretch of working very long hours, 7 days a week on some super unrealistic goals with very little support, I ended up getting a bad case of burnout. It took me weeks to recover from it. When COVID-19 forced remote work shift began in companies, it was a step in the right direction by giving developers the flexibility to work from anywhere. However, I started hearing more and more about burnout. In this article, I will share results of a developer survey we did to explore if COVID-19 is somehow making the burnout situation worse. What is burnout? Burnout is a form of exhaustion caused by constantly feeling swamped. It's a result of excessive and prolonged emotional, physical, and mental stress. In many cases, burnout is related to one's job. Burnout happens when you're overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to keep up with life's incessant demands. If it sounds very broad, it actually is. Burnout doesn't have a test that your doctor can prescribe and be certain whether you are suffering from it or not. Regardless, if it's not identified and addressed, it will continue to grow until it grinds you down and become the new normal. When that happens, it is not easy to pull yourself back out. It might take many months or even years to shake it off. Here are some of the common symptoms of burnout: You stop enjoying working on things you used to enjoy and lose motivation for weeks. You feel exhausted or fatigued all or most of the time. You have low energy at work and at home. You struggle to sleep and wake up feeling tired. You don't feel a sense of accomplishment or feel sort of hopeless about results. (The sy