Help me, I have boreout

[AndyC_772]

A ready stream of customers is a good thing. A small handful of repeat customers is OK too. One customer who becomes a business partner may be all you need.

[Kjelt]

Don't quit your job till you can make more than 60% of your salary in your new role. Then is the moment to switch. If your current job takes only two hours a day, spent the other six and evenings on your new job.

[Berni]

For some people this is actually there dream job to be payed for slacking off. But it certainly is the exact opposite of a dream job for an engineer.

But just keep this job while looking for a new one, that way you never loose your income.

It does not always mean you get all your fulfillment from the work you do at your job. Most engineers i know including myself still do all sorts of personal projects at home. Only in these projects you get the freedom to build any crazy thing you would want. It doesn't have to be built down to a price, it doesn't have to furfill a bloated bullshit list of features, it just has to do something cool.

[technix]

You can try start with trying to make your off time less boring. Side projects are always good ideas, especially if you can gain more than just fun in it. Or if you have some savings you can try pursue some higher education (post-grad programs for example, as the school will assign things to you and keep you busy, and I doubt your boss will have problems with you attending school given the usual tasks are done)

I was not into video games but as of recently I have been playing a lot of Pokémon games to entertain myself during off time just to keep the boredom at minimum (cartridges are expensive... And I am not that good at it)

[tszaboo]

(I smell FPGA.)
What is your dream technology???

It is an ARM11. Old, boring. What makes it boring is that the only thing you can do with it is run linux. And linux is boring.

Mount a little corporation and you sell the improvements that you think that may have

There is no money in this sector, unless you get the government issued 'green certificates'. I cannto do that, not a native speaker, not an MBA. The other way is consumer marker, with cut-throat profit, and competing with the chinese.

Don't quit your job till you can make more than 60% of your salary in your new role. Then is the moment to switch. If your current job takes only two hours a day, spent the other six and evenings on your new job.

I dont plan to. There is a good Dilbert comic strip for:

You can try start with trying to make your off time less boring. Side projects are always good ideas, especially if you can gain more than just fun in it.

That is part of the issue. Boreout causes the exact same symptoms as burnout. I have no energy at the end of the day. Sometimes I dont have energy to play computer games, just to sit in front of the TV and binge watch something. Sometimes I binge watch something that I already saw. Imagine your life, but without actually wanting to do stuff.

Many companies will force you to sign exclusive agreement when you sign working contract.

There are 2 consultants* working at the same company. IP should not be an issue. I can politely ask them to change my contract if it wouldn't allow it. This isn't communist china or wild west capitalism. I have a lot of leverage on the company, as it is very hard to find a replacement for me, and legally very hard to fire me. Even if they would fire me, I could live from social security for some 2 years, and I have some so called 'fuck you money'.

*I am actually planning to speak with them, ask them how they run their business., how they started. They are not electronics, but still.

[Kjelt]

That is part of the issue. Boreout causes the exact same symptoms as burnout. I have no energy at the end of the day. Sometimes I dont have energy to play computer games, just to sit in front of the TV and binge watch something. Sometimes I binge watch something that I already saw. Imagine your life, but without actually wanting to do stuff.

So this really has to change or it will spiral you down. You are the only one able to break the spiral. Some suggestions: more physical activities like biking to work perhaps or walk in the break. Take regular planned (coffee) breaks and make the day more structured for yourself. Anything (does not matter) that makes you happy: do it , plan it, find other people with the same interest and start or join a club and do it.

[capt bullshot]

I dont plan to. There is a good Dilbert comic strip for:

This particular Dilbert would be funny if it wasn't the truth. Most of Dilbert is true in the company world. From your description in the first post in this thread, my first thought was: Do you happen to work for the same company that I do? I'm in a similar situation for now about two years, and managed to keep alive by doing several projects on my own.

That is part of the issue. Boreout causes the exact same symptoms as burnout. I have no energy at the end of the day. Sometimes I dont have energy to play computer games, just to sit in front of the TV and binge watch something. Sometimes I binge watch something that I already saw. Imagine your life, but without actually wanting to do stuff.

I do know these symptoms, this is really bad. You've got plenty of time to start whatever project or activity and one doesn't have the energy / motivation. It's an spiral leading to no good ending. If you can't get out of there on your own, I'd recommend some consultation.

[technix]

(I smell FPGA.)
What is your dream technology???

It is an ARM11. Old, boring. What makes it boring is that the only thing you can do with it is run linux. And linux is boring.

Technically you can run bare metal code on ARM11 - probably the code from ARM7 and ARM9 platforms would run. However there are few people actually go this though.

If you can afford it, you can try and get Windows CE on it. Or try and get iOS clone (a port of the open source Apple Darwin coupled with an open source reimplementation of Cocoa) on it.

You can try start with trying to make your off time less boring. Side projects are always good ideas, especially if you can gain more than just fun in it.

That is part of the issue. Boreout causes the exact same symptoms as burnout. I have no energy at the end of the day. Sometimes I dont have energy to play computer games, just to sit in front of the TV and binge watch something. Sometimes I binge watch something that I already saw. Imagine your life, but without actually wanting to do stuff.

Agreed. I have long commutes so games on trains are viable. I sacrificed 33% of my salary for a less restrictive exclusivity clause that allows any IP I started during off time my own 100%, and my Tindie store is still alive (thanks to this.)

[tszaboo]

Technically you can run bare metal code on ARM11 - probably the code from ARM7 and ARM9 platforms would run. However there are few people actually go this though.

If you can afford it, you can try and get Windows CE on it. Or try and get iOS clone (a port of the open source Apple Darwin coupled with an open source reimplementation of Cocoa) on it.

No thank you. I'm a hardware guy. I program to make the hardware work, not for the sake of programming.

[NivagSwerdna]

If your current company is planning a public offering that will make the investors super rich (despite their rubbish product) you need some share options and to grin and bear it.

If you have to stay then.... start doing some freelance work... do consultancy on the side, write magazine articles, write books, write a blog, publish on youtube, design and sell your own products.

But... from the viewpoint of a potential employer you look burnt out and unemployable... you need to come up with a plan and fast.

[chris_leyson]

Hi NANDBlog, I know how you feel. About 2 years ago I spent about 6 months working on fast image convolution methods using 2D FFTs only to be told "we're not doing fast convolution anymore". I was a bit disheartened to say the least. Then there was a hostile company takeover, half of the staff left and the order book was almost empty, not a good year.
Anyway, as of a few weeks ago fast convolution is back on the menu so I'm now hand crafting some fast FFTs for FPGAs as the FFT IP from Altera and Xilinx is just too slow. At last I'm getting to do some VHDL, so I'm happy. By the way I liked the recent Leaning FPGAs: wrong approach? thread. Rant over.

[technix]

Technically you can run bare metal code on ARM11 - probably the code from ARM7 and ARM9 platforms would run. However there are few people actually go this though.

If you can afford it, you can try and get Windows CE on it. Or try and get iOS clone (a port of the open source Apple Darwin coupled with an open source reimplementation of Cocoa) on it.

No thank you. I'm a hardware guy. I program to make the hardware work, not for the sake of programming.

Ever thought of porting the latest Linux kernel to your project, trying to get the security holes found recently out of your products? Oh you are a hardware guy...

[tszaboo]

Ever thought of porting the latest Linux kernel to your project, trying to get the security holes found recently out of your products? Oh you are a hardware guy...

Its not connected to the internetz. And no, that would be like changing a bad situation with free time to a worse situation without free time.

[technix]

Ever thought of porting the latest Linux kernel to your project, trying to get the security holes found recently out of your products? Oh you are a hardware guy...

Its not connected to the internetz. And no, that would be like changing a bad situation with free time to a worse situation without free time.

For devices that does not even have network capabilities this can be left unpatched for now. Maybe learn something: a post-graduation degree? A new language? Some additional skills? If you can speak the Chinese language it would be easier to deal with Shenzhen or Hong Kong suppliers.

I am trilingual verbally and bilingual in written languages (Shanghainese, Mandarin Chinese, English; Shanghainese share the same written language with Mandarin Chinese,) and can use three additional languages in very primitive forms (German, French and Spanish.)

[alexanderbrevig]

Scary reading your first post NANDblog. For the last two and a half years I've been the only tech in an iot startup (hate the iot label but I've heard it so many times I use it myself with a sickened smile on my face).

I told them I needed other things, more challenges, so I got a contact with them to pay me as a consultant for six months. Which grants them half of my time and I get approximately the same pay as before while I have time to take on other challenges. Be it paid or some personal project.

The weird thing is that for my first year I was in over my head. With no real hardware background I've developed a working wireless low power sensorthingy. It was stressful but I much prefer the impostor syndrome when contrasted to boreout.

I've also learned a lot about myself and know better which parts of the project I should reach out for help (in over my head) or handover because I'm not the cheapest way to get it done (I'm bored).

Good luck!
Do something about it.

[schmitt trigger]

Re: Dilbert cartoons.

Scott Adams has told many times the story: his time working at Pacific Bell was soul-crunching and a complete waste of time. He had already done some cartoons, but that is when he earnestly focused on Dilbert.

He has also told that for many years his inspiration for cartoons were the e-mails he received. He would publish his own e-mail, scott.adams@aol.com in every strip. The flood of stories was endless.

That is the reason these cartoons are so universal. During the 90s I did a lot of business travel, and every place I visited had Dilbert strips posted on a desk or cubicle.

[tszaboo]

OK, so I got approval for consulting. Which is good. Also, I picked up an old secret project. It's supposed to go to kickstarter. Also, I had some time to think about my career. So this is what I came up with:
Maybe I am in the wrong sector. I am working for "for profit" organisations, where my job basically depends on the sales team. If they can sell something I get funding. If they are not successful, I have nothing to do. They will not fire me, because they will need me later. So I am supposed to wait. And apparently I dont like that. That's just the way I am.

So I am thinking about going into the "R" from R&D as someone mentioned. As plan B. Anyway, I have some ideas now. I know how naive this sounds, but I actually have an idea of "who would be the perfect employer".

Sometimes the world lets you down. Anyway I think it was very helpful to share this with you all. Also, it helps others to name this, because the term "boreout" is relatively new. Anyone feeling the same way is invited to PM me or post in this topic, and discuss and share.

Thank you all. I keep you updated.

[Kjelt]

I am working for "for profit" organisations, where my job basically depends on the sales team. If they can sell something I get funding. If they are not successful, I have nothing to do. They will not fire me, because they will need me later. So I am supposed to wait. And apparently I dont like that. That's just the way I am.

The other way around is no fun also , if the sales team has sold many pipe dreams and the team has an impossible task to design and build something coming close within an impossible timeframe.

Anyway are you now suggesting to design electronics in a non-profit organisation ? What kind of organisations would that be I wonder ? Or in the Research part of a profit organisation ?

[Berni]

I think i would find it pretty fun to be on the team that designed the HTC Vive at valve. There was a lot of research involved in it. They built lots of prototypes and custom electronics to do all the laser scan tracking. of objects, there is lots of communication and time syncing happening trough the whole system to make it all work. It eventually involved an ASIC too.

But that is a kind of project that comes out of the blue and once its done its well.. done. But id imagine working at some places like Bell Labs must have been amazing.

[tszaboo]

But that is a kind of project that comes out of the blue and once its done its well.. done. But id imagine working at some places like Bell Labs must have been amazing.

Bell Labs is a good example. Or supporting basic research with electronics.
On the other hand I'm not sure, if I would get a job at these places. Maybe just the destroyed self-esteem speaking.

[Berni]

Bell Labs is a good example. Or supporting basic research with electronics.
On the other hand I'm not sure, if I would get a job at these places. Maybe just the destroyed self-esteem speaking.

Yeah it is probably very difficult to get a job at these famous places as there are likely a whole heap of people competing for the job. If any of them would be closer to me i would probably give it a shot just in case id get lucky, but i would be expecting to be told to go away.

But that doesn't mean every job at these companies is a nice job. They still need people that do boring stuff like paperwork or inventory management and such boring non creative jobs that i wouldn't wanna do even if the pay was good.

[tszaboo]

OK, a quick update. Today, they crossed the line again, by not inviting me to a meeting to a product. I came up with the idea of the product, I designed it, and made it a reality. They went ahead, and made a meeting, without me, discussing the future of the project. Even peers from working different part of the company were on it.

This was already strike 3, and I started actively looking for a new job.

[capt bullshot]

That's like DIlbert in real life 

Stuff like that happens all over the place where I'm working (and I've been told so from somewhere else), people doing so don't even think they might offend you by doing so - I can't really understand that. I can understand you, that's a big demotivator. I guess it'll be hard to find a better place where such stuff doesn't happen. You're just a cost centre for the bean counters and the bosses and managers ... That's the sad reality in engineering today.

[Kjelt]

Are you still working there? 
Past time to move on, go fly out, there are a lot of jobs out there, stop complaining and take action.

[tszaboo]

Are you still working there? 
Past time to move on, go fly out, there are a lot of jobs out there, stop complaining and take action.

Jeah, I'm doing that. Browsing linkedin now.

That's like DIlbert in real life 

They did this, after discussing the exact same thing at the yearly performance review in December. I also told them, that they have to change. It is a small company. It has no experience launching products. I do. My manager even mentioned that there will be a meeting today. I told him I should be on it, and this is exactly the thing that we talked about.
BTW this is a manager, who got promoted to be my boss. He is an IT system administrator. No experience in electronics. Gets to be my boss. Well, I dont think so.