Real burnout is something like losing confidence in your own ability, or the overall system or world. It doesn't go away with time, per se, but requires a real change of your life....like getting a manual labor type job for a few years, going back to school, etc.
Absolutely. I burned out at a tech job in 2000, and spent several subsequent years working as a climbing instructor, outdoor gear retail clerk, cable technician, etc. ... anything that didn't require the use of a computer.
There's a difference between simply needing a vacation, and being completely and absolutely disgusted with your field and everyone in it.
As totally cheezy as it sounds, I "gradually woke up one morning" and realized what it was that I wanted to accomplish with my life. My newfound goal was going to require more resources than I could ever accumulate by selling backpacking gear, so at that moment I decided it was time to get back into the tech industry. (I still have fond memories of my time away from it though.)
I haven't felt anything close to the same burnout since. Although I'm often stressed out over one thing or another, for the most part I'm pretty happy with the way everything is now.
