Burnout can affect your ability to work on complex things, a lack of time away from programming, high stress positions and long hours, boring repetitive work. Overcoming all or some of those things takes a lot of energy away from your ability to focus.
It's not age, I was more capable when I retired in 2021 than I was in the 1980s because I found ways to give my brain enough time away (sometimes getting laid off forces you!) and also switching to completely unrelated programming jobs to provide a new perspective. I never completely burned out by giving my brain something new to focus on.
It's not age, I was more capable when I retired in 2021 than I was in the 1980s because I found ways to give my brain enough time away (sometimes getting laid off forces you!) and also switching to completely unrelated programming jobs to provide a new perspective. I never completely burned out by giving my brain something new to focus on.