Lockdown has been similar to the PhD in terms of risk of burnout from uncertainty+lack of control. I don't talk about it much because there are bigger problems in the world, but I've been pretty deliberate about reenaging my burnout prevention mechanisms from my PhD. Thread: https://twitter.com/addysbaird/status/1305612577402171395

One of the biggest things I've learned to do in the face of unending uncertainty is to anchor to measurable progress. When it feels like there's little progress in the outside world re: COVID, I've been focusing on side projects, like @zoombachelor and growing an indoor garden.

Setting up a good support network is also key. During my PhD, I worked hard to surround myself with people who got what I was going through and also took my mind off my stressors. During the pandemic I've also put the work in to reach out and nurture these virtual connections.

Another big thing I learned about avoiding burnout was to create spaces where I could really clear my head. During my PhD, this was going to yoga and seeing friends outside of CS. In lockdown, it's been doing virtual non-work projects (like JeanDate) and getting offline.

Something hard about the last few months is that doing non-work things is usually the way to clear my head about work, but all non-work routines have had to change and are often stressful. To fight this I've been putting in a lot of up-front work to optimize new routines.

Here's a big lesson I learned in grad school that may be helpful to people trying to avoid pandemic burnout. When it feels like the world is ending, passive relaxation doesn't work. You need to transport your mind somewhere else—and routinely. Figure out what it takes to do this.