3 years!

Today marks 3 years I've been at my current employer, which is a huge milestone for me. I've learned a ton in the last few years and have had the opportunity to work with (and learn from) the brightest people I've ever met. I'm definitely blessed.

Yet today, I also came to the realization that I might be in the early stages of burnout. Maybe it's the combination of everything going on... have a hard time sleeping, working on a lot of new things (and kind of around the clock), trying to sharpen/fill in the gaps of my CS knowledge, part time new employee coaching... I remember how this brain fog feels, and I don't feel so upbeat about being an impostor like I did earlier this year. I'm not absorbing new things too fast or well (and I'm already slow to begin with).

There are a few things I can do.

• Fix my sleeping situation. If I don't sleep, everything is bad.
• Stop working around the clock. I shouldn't be doing this, but... it's so hard to avoid. I have excuses for this -- lack of sleep -> less efficient -> work longer. And factoring in the 1hr-each-way commute, I'm kinda not doing so great. I can't help my commute. But I can plan my time in the office better. I can plan on what questions to ask so I can be focused.
• I need time to unwind, be unfocused, and enjoy some silence.
• I need to plan how to sharpen my CS knowledge. A lot of the time spent is for reading, but I also need time to do some hands on work to actualize the theory.

3 years of lots of growth. But I also need to put some space to rest. This time, I'll do better.