bunch of wimps, I grew up on a farm, still know people who farm. I work in an office now, its air conditioned, its heated, I sit all day, how is my forty hours or more being worked until ragged? Burned out at 45? Really? How about it being that your leaving so many productive hours on the table is what really is burning you out?
I am not saying you have to work fifty or sixty hours a week, I know some successful and happy people who have, but I am saying most people shut down at the end of their day as if work is all they are. So yeah, that forty and out is going to burn you out. Stay active, even if it means more work.
Get a second job, get a hobby. Do something. Sometimes I think that farm life was better because there was always something to do. People turn off more than their job when they adapt that forty hour mindset.
Horrible comparison. Software development could hardly be further from working on a farm. Farm is physically demanding but not remotely mentally so. Move hay from the barn to the cattle feeding areas. Sow this part with the currently planned plants, etc. It will wear you out physically but your body will get used to that and you can push yourself quite far. By contrast, if your mind won't work on a problem anymore then no amount of pleading, begging, yelling, etc. will force it to.
Software development is closer to writing fiction novels. Now how many fiction authors do you know of who write 40+ hours per week for months on end? Has it ever been done at all?
That wasn't what was being said... What was being said was "leaving the office and watching tv for 5 hours will run you down". Or that people should be active for more than 40 hours per week.
"most people shut down at the end of their day as if work is all they are"
I think lack of exercise is a large part of this. Regular exercise gives you more energy. I'm afraid I have no references for this, but I'm reliably informed that there are.
So I would modify this as "Do exercise. Not to much. Then do what matters to you".
I am not saying you have to work fifty or sixty hours a week, I know some successful and happy people who have, but I am saying most people shut down at the end of their day as if work is all they are. So yeah, that forty and out is going to burn you out. Stay active, even if it means more work.
Get a second job, get a hobby. Do something. Sometimes I think that farm life was better because there was always something to do. People turn off more than their job when they adapt that forty hour mindset.