Keeping Busy With Incoming Layoffs
This is never fun.
Published on Thu Jun 18 2026
It is no surprise that layoffs are still happening all across the software engineering world, some in part due to the rise in popularity of AI and vibe coding tools. I’m in a unique position where I’ve been pretty disconnected from these waves. Unfortunately, right now, I’m feeling the pressure.
At Work
I’ve only faced layoffs one other time in my current position. Now, we’re going through a second round. The stress is unbelievable, but I’m managing fine. Work has been difficult, but my team has always kept a good culture of “doing the fun things”. There’s never a shortage of fun feature work that needs to get done alongside standard patching and maintenance work. Working in higher education, the work I get to do is deeply satisfying, so keeping busy does bring some peace with it. That doesn’t make it easier, though. Focus and attention have both taken hits, with anxiety skyrocketing. It can be unbearable at times, but thankfully workplace culture in my organization encourages mental health days when we need them. I’m not sure when anything is going to happen, so all I can do is continue to show up when I can.
I’ve lost track of the number of departures I’ve seen while we wait for the next round to hit. Just a few days ago, one of my co-workers turned in their two-week notice. It’s been a little bittersweet - I mentored this engineer, and he quickly became a strong member of the team, so I’ve been proud to see his growth. It’s just always sad to see someone go, especially during a period like this. Regardless, I wish him well in his future. Me? I plan on riding this out to the end. I’m far too satisfied with the work I get to do, and maybe a bit too naively optimistic. I’m willing to see how this plays out.
Outside of Work
Outside of work, I’ve realized I need to overhaul how I approach hobbies and my side business. I recently stumbled on a video by a new creator, Overload, titled Why Solo Gamedevs Burn Out (It’s Not Laziness). In it, he talks about a different way of thinking about tasks, each one is a “loop” that is opened when you start, and closed when it’s completed. This feels like the basis of how you are expected to do work in a professional setting, just put into words. Trying to apply this to everyday life (alongside game development) has been eye-opening. Simply finishing a couple of things before moving on makes the rest of the day so much less stressful. It sounds silly, but changing the way I think about the work completely changes how easily achievable finishing it becomes.
With the announcements of the layoffs, I hit a slump in game dev work. No progress for weeks/months at a time. Not ideal. With the change in how I think about work, I finally managed to push through and make some great progress this week. I was so happy with this, and it was honestly a bit of a relief. While my wife is supportive of my game dev aspirations, and also supportive of exploring it full-time should I fall victim to the incoming layoffs, I’d rather it not be the reason I try it full-time.
Recently, as a bit of an escape, my wife and I have been absorbed by Valheim. It’s been a fun way to relax after work, and the base building and exploration have been a nice way to exercise some creativity when it’s otherwise felt lacking. It’s also been a nice reminder of what I want to make in a game. Sometimes, a nice gaming session is just what I need to remind me that there is more to life than just work.
Final Thoughts
In my own perfect world, layoffs would never happen. The threat of losing your job to factors that you cannot control would not exist. Unfortunately, the real world is quite different. It’s a harsh reality to face, and a stark reminder that employment can come and go no matter how good you are, how much you try, or how much you love your job. I think in times like these, it’s important to remember that your job is not who you are. I sometimes forget this, and that can lead to way more stress than I need. It’s just something that you do to make a living, enjoying it and having fun is a bonus.