Burnout

[Vanguard]

We've all dealt with it.  Progress is easy and smooth for a period, but eventually it just tapers off into slow, deliberate slog.

What have you found to be the best way to handle burnout?  Do you like to take as much time off as you feel you need?  Do you just keep at it until it picks up again?

[Krice]

Start a new project, try to do something different. It doesn't have to be a roguelike, or even a game.

[Scautura]

I've currently hit "burnout" because I'm having to do a lot of dev work at work (I'm normally a tech support guy, but we have projects that need working on) so I'm taking a break.

For me, I find playing (rather than making) games helps me break out of the cursed dip, so I've begun playing Champions Online.

Everyone is different, I don't like coding too many different things at once, so having to work on multiple things at work means to me that working on my pet project is a hard slog and too much like "work". Playing games is a complete tangent, and you may find that you need to do something entirely different (take up yoga, knitting, go hiking every weekend, etc.) to get out of the funk. If I think of something and it doesn't feel like hard work, I'll jump in, sort it out, drop it again afterwards.

[corremn]

Burnout happens, just dont start programming again until you feel the need.

Hell I have been in burnout mode for almost a year.  Note that software engineering is 80% of my job, I only consider burnout for my games, my professional work hasn't effected my game programming at all.

For burnout I take crawl 2-3 times a day.  Until I get sick of it and start programming again.
Also I am playing a lot of dawn of War 2 which actually make me want to make a WH40k roguelike even more.

However now I am rl coding again. Woohoo.  New project from scratch, with completly new algorithms and content, and combat system.   Based on a book I just read, Only in Death.

[Etinarg]

For hobbyists, take a break. A long break if needed. Some day you will want to program again, or otherwise work on a project.

If it doesn't come back, you/your interests changed and need to look for new activities that are more fun now. Life is change.

And before it happens, make sure that your day has enough non-computer activities, preferably outdoor activities. That can prevent the worst.

[ido]

I'll add my vote to playing games too.

Another point that nobody mentioned yet: keep the code clean and easy to work with.  If you implement something quick & dirty because you want to test some ideas go back to it afterwards and refactor it into something that's easy to work with in the future.

The code doesen't have to be 100% brilliant at all times, but make sure it isn't too bad and doesn't have ugly hacks, especially not if you are thinking of letting in go for a while.

You are *that* much less likely to continue working on a project after a while of being away if it is a horrible mess.  So tidy up before you stop, and then take a break.

-Ido.

[magellan]

Just yesterday i "watched" someone play prospector by IM.
So i was mainly sitting there answering questions as they popped up.
That was highly motivating for me!

[BirdofPrey]

I'll add my vote to playing games too.

Another point that nobody mentioned yet: keep the code clean and easy to work with.  If you implement something quick & dirty because you want to test some ideas go back to it afterwards and refactor it into something that's easy to work with in the future.

The code doesen't have to be 100% brilliant at all times, but make sure it isn't too bad and doesn't have ugly hacks, especially not if you are thinking of letting in go for a while.

You are *that* much less likely to continue working on a project after a while of being away if it is a horrible mess.  So tidy up before you stop, and then take a break.

-Ido.

Yes. If you know you might be taking a long break, you should really try and force yourself to 1) leave code that is as clean and manageable as you can and 2) dont leave in the middle of a section. I took a hiatus once in the middle of a complicated mapgen algorithm and when I came back just the thought of figuring out how it all worked again compelled me to scrap the whole freaking thing and start from scratch. Which wasn't a bad thing necessarily but avoid the situation if you can.