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How to Avoid Burnout as an Ambitious New Data Scientist

Avoiding burnout will be of paramount importance if you want a long, successful career as a data scientist.

Photo by burak kostak from Pexels
Photo by burak kostak from Pexels

It’s hard to describe burnout to someone who’s never experienced it.

Burnout can manifest itself in so many ways in different people, that it can feel intimidating to discuss such an abstract concept with someone else for fear of judgment or a lack of empathy.

For me, burnout appears in the form of mental exhaustion, a lack of enthusiasm for my work, and an inability to force myself to focus on the task at hand without getting distracted by something more engaging. On those days, words scroll past my eyes without a hint of comprehension and I find a sudden urge to be on my phone, clean the house, cook some food, workout, or do practically anything that isn’t work-related.

At the point when dusting your baseboards sounds more exciting than doing your work, you know you’re burnt out.

The current hustle culture has almost made it taboo to talk about burnout, yet if anything, burnout is now more prevalent because of the pressure we put on ourselves to do more at work and to do more with our lives.

Not only that but as the new hire anywhere, it’s only natural to feel the pressure to rise to every challenge that comes your way, to over-deliver on projects (especially when it comes to timelines), and to take on as much work as you possibly can. Having that new person chip on your shoulder can instantly throw you into an inescapable cage fight with burnout where you will probably lose.

However, what most new hires don’t understand is that burning out regularly will make it difficult to have a long career. Therefore, it’s critical for your health and future success to develop some habits that will help you avoid burnout as you begin your new exciting career as a data scientist.


When you’re done work, you’re done work.

I’m a wholehearted supporter of the WFH movement, especially when it comes to careers in tech. However, I’ve also noticed that working from home has had some seriously negative impacts that aren’t always easy to spot.

The biggest culprit is not being able to shut off after you’re done your work for the day. This manifests itself in a few ways, including continuing to find work to do after you’ve completed all of your tasks for the day, answering emails at 8 pm, and getting a head start on your tasks for the next day even when you’ve worked a full eight-hour day.

The ability to sit back down at your desk without a commute to work has made it too easy to get sucked into work.

Therefore, it’s imperative that when you’ve completed all of your tasks for the day, you call it a day.

For example, I begin work at 6:30 AM, which usually results in me being done with all of my tasks for the day by 2–3:30 pm. After that point, I completely stop working. To ensure that I don’t get sucked back into work, I’ll take time to work out, work on an article for Medium, clean, or get dinner started. Furthermore, I’ll ensure that my weekends are 95% work-free, so I can spend time recharging and getting ready for the week ahead.

By either setting hours for yourself or strict lists of tasks for the day and ensuring that you’re disciplined about actually quitting at quitting time, you will be able to maintain a healthy work-life balance and keep from burning out.

Take care of your body, both physically and mentally.

Despite this tip being said over and over again, many people still don’t make their mental and physical health a priority. It’s surprising how much an unhealthy body and mind can contribute to disenchantment at work, and not being very happy with your life in general.

While it’s been proven many times over that a healthy mind and body are imperative to success at work and in life, it often feels like those things are too time-consuming when that time could be "better spent" doing work.

There’s a reason why so many FAANG companies offer onsight gyms, healthy catered lunches, and spaces where staff can go and meditate for a few minutes during the day. While yes, those companies are totally using those tactics so their employees practically live at the office, they’re also offering those amenities so their employees can be at their best both mentally and physically. In other words, healthy employees are productive employees.

As a new data scientist, it’s important to have some healthy habits in place so that when work gets crazy, you have some constants that will help you avoid burnout and will keep you healthy and productive. Start by sticking to a workout routine that works for you, try to eat healthy by dabbling with meal planning or ordering pre-planned meal boxes, and try to take some rejuvenating time for yourself mentally by doing meditation, yoga, or journaling.

Listen to your energy levels and let them guide your days.

While it’s natural that your workweek will require that certain tasks are completed on certain days, it’s important to try to listen to your body’s energy levels as best as you can so that you are as productive as possible throughout the week.

By listening to your body, you can plan your more intense work tasks for when you’re full of energy, and the easier tasks can be done when you have less energy and focus.

For instance, data analyses or the implementation of machine learning algorithms should be done on days when you’re feeling well-rested and are focused. On days when you’re feeling tired, try to focus on simple tasks such as answering emails or running automated tasks that don’t require much input. This methodology could also be used to plan your days, with more intense tasks being completed in the morning when you’re more focused, and less intense tasks being completed in the afternoon when you become more tired and less focused.

Planning your weekly and daily tasks around your energy levels can help ensure that your job doesn’t feel like a daily grind and will help you avoid burnout by helping you feel like your days are manageable and not overly taxing.

Make free time a priority in your schedule.

I always used to think that any time that wasn’t dedicated to doing something productive was time wasted. I would feel guilty if I wasn’t being productive every moment of the day, and I feel like that gave me an unhealthy relationship with my time.

It took a long time before I finally realized that free-time was actually a productive usage of time.

As a new hire, it can feel unacceptable to make free time a priority in your schedule, for fear of either taking personal time when you see other people working or letting your boss know that you’re human and need a break. However, realizing that your wellbeing is just as important as the work you do is an important step in respecting yourself as a person, having a healthy relationship with work, and avoiding burnout.

For those who have busy daily schedules, it can be advantageous to schedule free time into the day. Whether it’s an hour here or even just ten minutes there, giving yourself time to do whatever you want can take a load off your brain and can give you that momentary recharge that you need to get through the day.

Take advantage of vacation time, remote work, and flexible working hours.

A common complaint of people suffering burnout is that they feel like they are stuck in a rut doing the same thing day in day out.

The beauty of the WFH movement is that it’s opening the work world up to remote work and flexible working hours. Furthermore, having had the time to take a step back and look at work-life, many are starting to recognize the importance of taking the vacation time that is allotted to them.

Avoiding burnout can be done easily by simply taking advantage of the vacation time that is allotted to you, working remotely whenever you can, and taking advantage of working when you are most productive.

Ask for help.

"Nobody is an island." – the favorite quote of many data scientists

When it comes to working in Data Science, it can sometimes feel intimidating to ask others for help, especially if it feels like the question you need to be answered is trivial or not worth their time. Yet what most new data scientists forget, is that their superiors all started as junior data scientists at one point in their life, and they also had to ask questions to solve problems.

As the new hire, it can feel like you need to take every challenge head-on and solve as many problems as you can by yourself. What this generally leads to is hours of overtime spent banging your head against a wall as Google refuses to give you the right answer you need to solve your problem. This is a surefire way to hit burnout as you suddenly begin to feel that you don’t have any answers to problems and the imposter syndrome sets in.

Instead, by asking for help when you need it, you not only take the pressure off yourself to be perfect, but you also show your employer that you’re able to ask for help when you need it. Believe it or not, asking for help is not a sign of weakness, and is often seen as an admirable trait.

Pursue a hobby, take up volunteering, or work on passion projects.

Before I had a side-hustle and was a volunteer, I had nothing to focus my time on besides work. Now, I’ve found that having these outlets has allowed me to actually enjoy my work more, and has even made me more productive during the week.

There’s a reason why the most successful people in the world all have hobbies. Being successful at any level in your career can take a toll, which is why Bill Gates plays bridge, Meryl Streep knits, Steve Wozniak plays Segway polo, and Marissa Mayer bakes.

Pursuing a hobby, taking up volunteering, or working on a passion project can be just the break your brain needs to avoid burning out.


Final thoughts.

The job of a data scientist, like any job in tech, is not without its stresses. Having to deal with a highly competitive work environment, unrealistic expectations from stakeholders, and the necessity to be able to come up with the right answers for complex problems, data scientists are nearly bound to hit a burnout phase at some point in their career.

By implementing some or all of the tips listed above, new data scientists can help themselves avoid burnout and set themselves up for a long and happy career in data science.


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