Sometimes it just hits weird. You open your code editor and stare at it, like… nothing. Stuff you used to knock out in minutes now feels heavy. You keep telling yourself you just need more coffee, but deep down you know it’s more than that. This is how burnout can start — not loud, just... dull and constant.

You get snappy, even with yourself. That bug isn’t a big deal, but you’re already cursing at the screen. You reread the same line five times and still don’t get it. Sound familiar? When everything starts to feel like too much — even small things — it’s time to take a breather, not just “push through.”

You’re not broken. You’re just tired. Honestly, we all hit that wall. Doesn’t mean you’re lazy or bad at what you do. Just means your brain’s had enough for now. Walk away for a bit. Go outside. Text a friend. Your code can wait. Your health? Not so much.

People won't always notice — and that's okay. Sometimes you spend hours fixing a bug no one even knew existed. That’s the reality. If you want your work to be seen, don’t be shy about showing it. Drop a quick message when something’s improved. Share screenshots, write a line or two explaining what changed. Not for the praise — just so people actually see what you’re doing.

Tech talk doesn't always land. You might say “I optimized the API response time,” but that means little to someone outside dev. Try: “Pages now load twice as fast.” Simple. Relatable. It’s not about dumbing things down — it’s about making them make sense to others. That’s when people realize, “Oh wow, this actually helps us.”

Appreciation isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s silence. Or a quick “nice” in a chat. Don’t rely on claps to validate your work — ask how it helped, or what you could’ve done differently. And if someone does notice and thanks you? Take the win. You earned it. No need to downplay your effort.

Talk before things get messy. Too often, designers finish the mockups, throw them over, and then devs start guessing. That’s when problems pop up. Instead, jump on a quick call early. Just 10 minutes to go over how things are supposed to work saves hours later. It’s not about micromanaging — it’s about not assuming the other person knows what’s in your head.

Stop treating each other like blockers. Design isn’t just “make it pretty,” and dev isn’t “make it work.” Both sides solve problems, just differently. When a dev pushes back, it’s usually for a reason — not to ruin the vision. Same when a designer asks to redo a component. You’re on the same team, chasing the same goal. Give each other some space to do the job right.

Don’t obsess over tools — focus on clarity. You can use Figma, Notion, Slack, sticky notes — doesn’t matter. What matters is whether both sides understand what’s going on. If “padding” means one thing to you and another to them, you’ll be arguing over pixels forever. Take the time to align vocab. Clear beats clever, every time.