<story><title>Ask HN: Discuss burnout with boss?</title><text>I am burnt out at work and not sure how to start the discussion with my boss. I&amp;#x27;ve tried addressing the problem myself over the past year by means of exercise, diet, getting more sleep, more time spent on hobbies, socializing more, and pacing myself at work. It&amp;#x27;s not helping, it&amp;#x27;s just getting worse. I know quitting and finding a new job is an option but I would prefer not to. How can I have a productive discussion with my boss about burnout? How did you handle it?</text></story><parent_chain><item><author>burp3141</author><text>My manager and I had a 10 year relationship going. I had just transitioned to a new role, had a new born and taken on too much. I was feeling it for 6 months but finally broke at around 9 months. I told him I couldn&amp;#x27;t do it anymore and that I wanted a sabbatical. I told them that my backup plan was to just quit.&lt;p&gt;He talked me off the ledge and within a day had transitioned my troublesome projects to others and moved me to a four day work week to recover. He had to run this by manager&amp;#x27;s three levels up, do an insane amount of HR paperwork (fulltime -&amp;gt; not fulltime, pro-rated salary adjustment, etc.). All this happened in a space of two days.&lt;p&gt;I stayed on a four day week for a couple of months. It was magical. He retained my reduced workload when I came back full time.&lt;p&gt;His first comment when I initially cracked  - &amp;quot;you should have come to me sooner&amp;quot;.&lt;p&gt;The quick reaction, sympathy and support I got cemented my loyalty to an outstanding manager.I&amp;#x27;m still here a couple of years later.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>CaptSpify</author><text>I would like to interject: This heavily depends on the boss. I&amp;#x27;ve seen great bosses who will make stuff like this happen, and I&amp;#x27;ve seen terrible bosses who don&amp;#x27;t give a shit. Make sure you work for the right-kind of boss if you are going to take this approach!</text></comment>
<story><title>Ask HN: Discuss burnout with boss?</title><text>I am burnt out at work and not sure how to start the discussion with my boss. I&amp;#x27;ve tried addressing the problem myself over the past year by means of exercise, diet, getting more sleep, more time spent on hobbies, socializing more, and pacing myself at work. It&amp;#x27;s not helping, it&amp;#x27;s just getting worse. I know quitting and finding a new job is an option but I would prefer not to. How can I have a productive discussion with my boss about burnout? How did you handle it?</text></story><parent_chain><item><author>burp3141</author><text>My manager and I had a 10 year relationship going. I had just transitioned to a new role, had a new born and taken on too much. I was feeling it for 6 months but finally broke at around 9 months. I told him I couldn&amp;#x27;t do it anymore and that I wanted a sabbatical. I told them that my backup plan was to just quit.&lt;p&gt;He talked me off the ledge and within a day had transitioned my troublesome projects to others and moved me to a four day work week to recover. He had to run this by manager&amp;#x27;s three levels up, do an insane amount of HR paperwork (fulltime -&amp;gt; not fulltime, pro-rated salary adjustment, etc.). All this happened in a space of two days.&lt;p&gt;I stayed on a four day week for a couple of months. It was magical. He retained my reduced workload when I came back full time.&lt;p&gt;His first comment when I initially cracked  - &amp;quot;you should have come to me sooner&amp;quot;.&lt;p&gt;The quick reaction, sympathy and support I got cemented my loyalty to an outstanding manager.I&amp;#x27;m still here a couple of years later.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>marricks</author><text>Any manager which cares about their employees would say that, &amp;quot;you should have come to me sooner.&amp;quot; Only issue is how many managers are actually empathetic?</text></comment>