I'm faking it

Every week, I make a visual map of my learning journey — I share what I learn, how I learned it, and how you can too.

Every Saturday, you’ve been getting weekly updates of my Python journey. From afar, I might seem motivated, optimistic, and determined to keep learning. 

But in the last few weeks, I’ve been faking it.

I’m actually growing quite tired and it’s starting to impact my progress. Watching a single Python lesson has become a mindless intake of information and writing one sentence for the newsletter can take me at least 30 minutes of internal debate. While I’ve tried to keep pushing, I’m getting dangerously close to burning out.

There’s one crucial aspect of learning that we often forget about: Recharging.

Recharging doesn’t mean taking a break from learning. It means you need to reevaluate your learning habits and change what is driving you straight into the burnout zone. 

1. From “whenever possible” to “dedicated time”: For me, learning Python happened whenever possible — right before work, during lunchtime, or 30 minutes before going to bed. Even though I was learning more frequently, I was actually learning a lot less by squeezing in Python concepts into short sprints of time. If this also sounds like you, try limiting learning to longer, uninterrupted blocks of time to make more meaningful progress.

2. Build buffers: Balancing learning and newsletter deadlines got stressful, especially when life got busy. A major part of my recharge period will be writing 2-3 weeks' worth of posts in advance (i.e. buffers) to protect myself from the last-minute pressure of deadlines. While you might not be writing a newsletter, think about areas in your life where you can add buffers — it can be as simple as waking up earlier to avoid a morning rush before work.

3. Step away from the screen: My phone has always been a source of “rest”. Whenever I’d finish a lesson or a big task at work, I’d pull out my phone to mindlessly scroll. While this gave me a brief escape, I’d often feel more distracted and stressed. If you also struggle with this, try be more intentional about how you use your phone and seek out better ways to unwind.

When we burnout, we often resort to “taking breaks” or “going on vacation”. Even if we come back feeling refreshed and energized, the habits that led you to burnout in the first place still haven’t changed. Eventually, you’ll need to face your habits head on to avoid entering an endless cycle of burnout.

My goal for this newsletter is always to keep it real, not to paint a rosy picture of how great my learning journey is going.

If you’re nearing a burnout period, I hope these ideas help you find ways to recharge and come back stronger in whatever you’re pursuing.