I Quit React Development - JavaScript Fatigue and Burnout

I burnt out, quit my job and can’t stand the thought of jumping into another Front End codebase that isn’t my own. I was a React developer for three years working at international companies and unfortunately, succumbed to burnout. Expert from my article 'A key aspect why I disliked my role so much, was that it was primarily bug fixing with very little feature development. A builder does not become a builder to fix other builder's houses. While it's extremely valuable to have the skill to do so, it's not what keeps you happy. When I realised I was burning out, I: Attempted to address internal issues - these were not resolved. Requested to move teams - this was not possible. Interviewed at other companies - I received a couple of job offers but ultimately decided I had had enough of front end and decided to take a step back from React. I didn't solve my burnout by quitting, albeit removing myself from a bad environment was an important part of this. I took a month off to reflect on my career, mental health and what would ultimately make me happy. Building forms for a living and fixing other people's bugs was not conducive to this. I still enjoy the power of programming, the lifestyle it offers and the technical challenges it presents. I'll continue to program but in a more 'stable' ecosystem.' In the article i've also linked to a few articles around burnout as a software developer as well as JavaScript fatigue - which is seemingly prevalent within the front end or React community. ---------- Articles ---------- Medium article that summaries everything https://medium.com/@mattkander/how-front-end-development-broke-me-c45b2ae1663d Smashing Magazine - front end fatigue https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2016/11/not-an-imposter-fighting-front-end-fatigue/ What it's like to learn JavaScript in 2016 https://medium.com/hackernoon/how-it-feels-to-learn-javascript-in-2016-d3a717dd577f#.758uh588b Also available on my website: https://www.mattkander.com/post/how-front-end-development-broke-me ---------- Active socials ---------- Twitter - https://twitter.com/mattkander Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mattkander/ Patreon (offering consulting now!) - https://www.patreon.com/mattkander Business enquires: [email protected] ---------- Gear ---------- Gear I use for these videos: https://kit.co/mattkander/current-youtube-studio-kit Displates - https://displate.com/matt104?art=5ddbb44010fcf **Disclaimer: Matt Kander is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to www.amazon.com. #softwareengineer #programming #burnout #softwaredeveloperburnout #javascriptfatigue