You Need A Break - Women Who Code Mobile Summit, Online, July 2022

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You Need A Break Women Who Code Mobile Summit | Online | July 2022 Ellen Shapiro | @DesignatedNerd | DesignatedNerd.com

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Recent Resume

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Recent Resume → Apollo GraphQL (6/19-2/22)

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Recent Resume → Apollo GraphQL (6/19-2/22) → ???? (2/22-6/22)

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Recent Resume → Apollo GraphQL (6/19-2/22) → ???? (2/22-6/22) → Gusto (6/22-present)

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???? (2/22-6/22)

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Pandemic + Extrovert = Miserable Extrovert

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March 2020 !

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January 2021 !❄

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April 2021 !❄#

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August 2021 !❄#$

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Later in August 2021 !❄#$!

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December 2021 !❄#$!!

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January 2021 !❄#$!!❄

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I was depressed

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I had ! burnt out

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Attempted ﬁx: ! Vacation!

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"I feel so much better now.

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"I feel so much better now. everything's gonna be ﬁne!"

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No content

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I had ! burnt out (way harder than I ever had before)

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! Red Flags I wish I'd recognized

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! Red Flags → Doing basic tasks was exhausting

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! Red Flags → Doing basic tasks was exhausting → Using sleep to avoid emotions

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! Red Flags → Doing basic tasks was exhausting → Using sleep to avoid emotions → Doing work brought me zero joy

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Considered ﬁx: Leave of absence

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Terrible excuses I gave myself for not taking leave

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"This is just the pandemic. I'll be ﬁne when it's over."

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"What if I can't start again when I said I'd come back?"

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"What if I can't stop thinking about work?"

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"What if it doesn't help me get better?"

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"What if it makes things much worse?"

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Actual ﬁx: Take ﬁve months off

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Privilege check

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Privilege check → Had substantial savings

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Privilege check → Had substantial savings → Did not have kids

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Privilege check → Had substantial savings → Did not have kids → Live in a lower-cost area

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Privilege check → Had substantial savings → Did not have kids → Live in a lower-cost area → Have a lot of experience

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So what helped?

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Step 1: Do Nothing

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Step 2: Search for joy

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Step 3: Start looking early

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Step 4: Don't start immediately

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Obligatory Summary Slide

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Obligatory Summary Slide → Burnout sucks. Try to catch it early.

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Obligatory Summary Slide → Burnout sucks. Try to catch it early. → Do not assume the world outside your control will get better at the rate your sanity needs it to

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Obligatory Summary Slide → Burnout sucks. Try to catch it early. → Do not assume the world outside your control will get better at the rate your sanity needs it to → Consider your options for time off, and look carefully at why you're saying no when you do