Here's how you can prevent burnout as a game developer with self-care practices.

After doing two full-time jobs for three years, I can say that sometimes you feel like questioning if it's worth it! You might feel like you're not giving the same consistency you did before. Here, the key is discipline and passion. You work passionately, as if this game has your name on it. The burnout phase is temporary—stay consistent and manage your time well, and you will be rewarded.

It’s important to pre-establish your boundaries. In the thick of things, you’ll often get pulled in ways you didn’t intend. Finding the courage to draw a line in the sand (respectfully) is very important and you can’t expect someone to draw it for you.

I myself suffered huge burnout while working as Game Dev , a Teacher as well as an Online Tutor combined for more than 6 months. But some efficiency tricks helped me get through that. --> Keep taking small breaks after some time and just simply move away from your desk and go someplace else, this will help you recharge and you can work even longer through this technique --> Dividing your work into smaller more manageable chunks not only ensures better Game Quality but also improves your workflow which results in healthy throughtput. --> Finally avoid overthinking, failure and anything that causes stress These small but valuable pointers helped me with that burnout and I was able to do more with less effort

I've been working in games for 20 years and it was when I rejected work life balance for work life separation that it all came together. It's very basic at a high level - When I'm working, I'm working, when I'm not working, I'm not working. i.e. I'm not checking messages unless I'm working. So whatever I'm doing I'm fully present. Luckily I enjoy my work, and so I do work at any hour of the day and night, my boundaries are simply being present when I'm working and when I'm not working. It makes life very simple and enjoyable.

I remember finishing #HaloCombatEvolved when it first came out! That game is what made me want to go into video games as a career. For the next many years I learned & got every chance I could to look at articles & behind the scenes of how games were made. I remember seeing an article where if the team had worked more they wouldn't have solved all the things gamers complain about (lack of content, unexpected server downtime, bugs, etc). Now, I know why. I am a workaholic by nature. I burned myself out at Blizzard, Riot, and BioWare. Now, I am a big advocate on my teams for maintaining flexible working hours with a better quality of work output. Never sacrifice a team members mental or physical health even if they don't know their boundaries.

In my experience, taking short breaks prolongs your ability to work efficiently. If you're stuck on tasks, or staring at your screen the whole day long, you're a lot more likely to be producing lower quality work. Some of the things I like to do include: - Look somewhere in the distance for 30 seconds, ideally out of a window. This helps reduce screen-induced headaches. - Stand up to get yourself some water or head to the bathroom at least once every 2-3 hours. - Do small stretches while working. You can lean your head and stretch out your neck, stretch your arms if you have space, or wiggle your legs to ensure movement of your body every so often. You can also include your coworkers in these exercises, ex: setting a group stretching time.

Take your breaks! I used to power through work without breaks and learned quickly once I stopped having micromanagers tracking when I clock in and clock out, that I did better work because I could go to the gym, have a conversation, take my dog outside, sit by the pool while WFH, run errands, grab some water, and more which would actually refocus me and allow me to have deeper focus on work throughout the day. Focus on the results and take some break time for yourself. It will benefit yourself and the company.

For years, I relentlessly pursued my ambitions in the gaming industry. → I suffered eye injuries twice → Feeling guilty for taking breaks → Having a hard time slowing down 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 However, with time and experience, I've learned the vital importance of: ↳ Resilience ↳ Recognizing my limits Now, in every lecture or talk I give, I emphasize: ↳ The need to understand our capabilities ↳ The importance of pacing ourselves I'm still on this journey of balance, but I've come to appreciate: ↳ The value of quality downtime We all need time to recharge, for there's always an exciting time ahead!

To prevent burnout as a game developer, prioritize self-care practices such as taking regular breaks, setting boundaries between work and personal life, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Engage in physical exercise, practice mindfulness or meditation, and ensure adequate sleep. Seek support from colleagues, friends, or mentors, and communicate openly about workload concerns. Rotate tasks to maintain variety and interest, and pursue hobbies outside of game development to recharge creatively. Regularly assess and adjust work habits to sustain long-term productivity and well-being.

It's worth considering that if you're tired and burned out, it could be who you work for that's the issue? It could be the coworkers you're with? It could be that you don't enjoy your work? It's unlikely to be the hours you put in, which is where many focus, as if you love what you're doing, then your energy is self sustaining.