100% agree. My life used to be all about tech / software engineering, especially when I got started in the industry and was learning a lot. One day I became burnt out and realized my life was so one dimensional, all I could talk about was different tech products and software engineering. I decided to put my work on the back burner and focus on instead trying various hobbies.
I ended up for a while just "caring less" about work while still getting my work done and putting all of my heart and soul into my hobbies (mostly Muay Thai and Running). Ironically, I think the time of putting engineering on the back burner has re-ignited my interest in it again. So it's not like you have to "care less" forever.
I've come to realize that I think life is cyclical like that and we need to be able to drive our energy towards new and interesting things, or even our families and the burn out is a signal you need to turn your energy towards something else. Your craft will always be waiting for you on the other side.
Coincidentally this is how I know what I am made to do. I've stopped programming on personal stuff for months at a time to solve burnout. Yet, I always manage to get the spark reignited, drop every other hobby, and focus on what I love doing. I've lost a lot of friends this way (sorry can't do X, I'm working on a project) but generally people don't understand anyway.
Sometimes separation makes the heart grow fonder, even in tech.
I ended up for a while just "caring less" about work while still getting my work done and putting all of my heart and soul into my hobbies (mostly Muay Thai and Running). Ironically, I think the time of putting engineering on the back burner has re-ignited my interest in it again. So it's not like you have to "care less" forever.
I've come to realize that I think life is cyclical like that and we need to be able to drive our energy towards new and interesting things, or even our families and the burn out is a signal you need to turn your energy towards something else. Your craft will always be waiting for you on the other side.