Worked for a certain global payment provider in their Prod Ops department for 13+ years. Every year the KPIs (or whatever abstractly worded “goals” they wanted to call them that year) got woolier and easier to move the goalposts on. Over time it pushed me further and further outside my original role. I ended up trying to be a one-man army — sysadmin, service delivery manager, architect, client relations, project manager, documentation, change control, risk management. Eventually I became the SME and had people coming to me constantly.

But every year, no matter what I delivered, the “London plumber teeth-sucking” routine came out at review time. Compensation or advancement never materialised — just token “slow release” stock grants designed to keep you hanging on for another three years.

After about 13 years I woke up during yet another burnout cycle and realised something pretty depressing: I had given everything to the job and the organisation, but I had built no life outside it.

That part was on me. I kept telling myself they’d eventually recognise the effort and make it worthwhile. They didn’t. Managers moved on, the culture changed, and nothing I’d done before mattered — only what I could deliver next.

So I agree with you. Detach. Build buffer time into tasks. Walk away from the computer. Turn your phone off at night. Stop trying to make everyone else comfortable “for your career.”

My advice to anyone entering IT: you’re only ever as good as your last ten minutes and your next three years. Work with that in mind and give back appropriately.