I got a full-stack development job offer from a Canadian company, but on one condition. I was given an assessment. This implied me using PHP and at that time, I only knew how to declare variables and use functions. So did I get the job?

Stick around to find out.

I did 50% of the assignment. I was then interviewed. The interviewer(lovely man) told me I would be considered for the role if I could complete the assessment. At this point, I was so pumped up and already imagined myself getting the job and taking a vacation in the Maldives.

I then decided to take a full PHP course in one day and finish the assessment cause time was running out. I spent 4 hours trying to figure out what I was doing, but I couldn't. The assessment needed experience in PHP and not just knowing the basics. I got depressed and decided to rest. Not for the day, but rest. As in, rest from tech. Sounds funny but I was just tired. After a dozen job applications and finally advancing to the 2nd stage of employment, I couldn't make it pass. I felt really bad.

Then I went on YouTube and found a YouTube short from @CalebCurry where he talked about "Burn-out".

Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.

This is when you overwhelm yourself with a lot of work, or maybe try to learn too many things in a short period of time. I'm pretty sure a lot of techies out there have suffered from burn-outs. If you haven't, there's a 90% chance you soon will. I suffered from burnout because I wasn't even through with my react course, and I started a PHP course.

Now how can you cure burn-outs?

• Take things slowly. - Don't rush to learn a lot of things in very little time.

• Set milestones.

• If you don't understand what you're doing, give yourself time, you will understand it.

I hope you found this helpful.