How developers (or anyone who during the working day thinks a lot) can to fight with mental fatigue, a headache and increase own motivation.

1. Anton Ivanov
How to reach and not lose
high performance
while working with complex projects

2. Why this issue appears
● What is a “complex” project ?
● Accidentals happens
● Why we lose performance ?
– There is 2 reasons

3. Why this issue appears
● What is a “complex” project ?
● Accidentals happens
● Why we lose performance:
– No power (body needs isn't satisfied)
– Bad mood (brain needs isn't satisfied)

4. Body needsBody needs

5. Body needs
● What is “body needs” ?
● How to satisfy ?

6. Body needs
● What is “body needs” ?
● How to satisfy:
– Increase time for rest
– Increase sleep time
– Drink more water during a day
– More healthy food
– Do sport
– Health

7. Brain needs

8. Brain needs
● Just energy is not enough
● Example from life
● Skill – Will matrix

10. Burnout
● What is it ?

11. Burnout
● B → C → D
● Fuse, from emotional overload
– Lose emotions
– Apathy
– Joylessness
– Feeling: My way is wrong
● Model of Mathias Burisch

12. #1. Warning phase
● Work is pleasure
● Work more & often
● "Non work activity" refusal
● Result:
– Strong fatigue
– Apathy
● Prevent: Work/Rest switch

13. #2. Decreased activity
● Force yourself to work
● Procrastination (1st time)
● No emotions (social networks)
● Dissatisfaction by work
● Joylessness

14. #3. Emotional reactions
● Confidence goes down
● Irritable, blame others
(it's difficult but you working, but they
disturb you)
● Depression possible

15. #4. Destructive behavior
● No concentration
● No "Global vision"
● Procrastination
● No desire to work

16. #5. Psychosomatic reactions
● Insomnia
● Headaches
● Troubles with heart
● Sick more and more often

17. #6. Meaninglessness of life
● Complete helplessness
feeling
● Meaninglessness of life
● Suicide possible

18. What to do?
● Let stages 5 & 6 be a motivators
● Avoid “brain traps”

19. TrapsTraps

20. Endless tasks
● We are thinking all of the time
● Too deeply in task
● How to get out this trap ?
– Someone had this issue?

21. Endless tasks
● We are thinking all of the time
● Too deeply in task
● How to get out this trap:
– Braindump
– Switch brain to the “Rest” mode:
● Music, Hobby (actions from childhood), Sport, Reading books
● The key: Do something what you like!

22. Unsatisfied personal values

23. Unsatisfied personal values
● Confusion: Important or Valuable ?
– Important: In short term (e.g. Project)
– Valuable: In general (e.g. Health)
● Losing energy
– Hard to concentrate
– Sick more often
– Became “more irritable”
– Deteriorated mood, headaches, depression possible

24. Unsatisfied personal values
● No way to compare
● How to find personal values ?

25. Way #1: Life is too short
● Just ask yourself questions:
– What will I do if I die in a week ?
– What will I do if I die in a month ?
– What will I do if I die in a year ?

26. Way #2: Emotions
● Remember your greatest emotions
● Personal values bring emotions
● Filter emotions by Maslow pyramid

27. Way #3: Freedom
● Imagine:
– You have enough money to don’t work anymore
– Forget idea: You should work to live
– What you will do?

28. Instead of conclusion
● Performance depends only from you
● Work with your personal values
feed your demons, otherwise you will be their food

29. Homework
● Reserve 2h on near weekend
● Ask yourself:
– I have enough money to don’t work anymore
– What I will do?
● Don’t postpone implementation

30. Thank you! Questions?
Anton Ivanov