[kempbellt]

Same type of job (software), different circumstances.

The most burnt out I've felt was when I needed to be in an office from about 9-5 every day. I lived in a town I didn't really like where there wasn't much to do besides checkout yet another new brewery and I worked on a product that sounded kind of interesting for the first five minutes, but I quickly realized I couldn't care less about.

Now I work remotely. My hours are flexible and deadlines are relaxed. Most of my coworkers work remote and at different times. Most conversations are asynchronous, removing a lot of that fake urgency that comes from feeling like you need to respond immediately to someone's message. The product is more interesting and something that I can see adding value to peoples' lives.

The biggest thing for me personally though: I travel while I work. Not for work, but while I work.

I've always liked exploring and being able to spend a week working in a new town "just because" has been huge for me.

Because I don't work set hours, I can sleep in when I need to and work later that day. Or I can decide to go exploring around a new town for a couple of hours before I start work. I run errands anytime I need to - which is great for avoiding busy times and traffic.

Working remotely with flexible hours has removed a lot of small, but substantial, stressors in my life. I wouldn't say this is a panacea for burnout though because it really depends on the person and the company, but it has worked well for me.

"Work ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Life" balance is more balanced.

[vikingerik]

In what places do you sleep, shower, and work while traveling? Do you pay for hotels? I've considered a similar lifestyle, but paying for hotels all the time isn't enticing.

[kempbellt]

Hotels, mostly.

It can definitely be expensive depending on where you stay, but there are some things that help me justify the cost in some situations. The freedom to come and go at any time - no lease/contract/mortgage, etc. Usually hotels are nicer than an apartment or house that I would stay in anyway - cleaner more up to date rooms, a pool, housekeeping, etc. Breakfast and coffee are complementary in most places. Free wifi in a lot of places that is usually pretty reliable (but make sure to double check ahead of time. Some places have terrible internet).

Some places can be as low as $70/night which is less than what I paid for rent the last time I had an apartment. Also, if you stay with certain hotel chains enough times in a year, you'll start to get complementary upgrades, the occasional free night, and some other little perks that do actually make it seem worth while.

Asking about "longer" term stay (multiple weeks, to a month) pricing has actually resulted in a decent discount a few times as well.

That said, it's not for everyone. You can certainly find cheaper places to rent in a lot of places, and it's definitely not something I'd recommend unless you are single and do not have any dependents (dogs, children, a goldfish, etc).