🦸 The Superperson
The Superperson tries to do it all - coding, teaching, leading, family, and more. They push themselves to excel in every role simultaneously, believing they should be able to handle everything. This can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and ironically, underperformance in all areas.
I see this particularly in developers who transition into leadership roles but try to keep coding at the same level, or parents returning to work who feel they must prove they can do it all. The Superperson often works late nights and weekends, trying to be exceptional everywhere.
The reality: You can do anything, but you can't do everything at once. Something has to give—and it's better to choose what that is intentionally rather than letting burnout choose for you.
Let Technology Help You
GitHub actually takes a lot of tasks off your hands. It can do all sorts of advanced security for you. GitHub's security stack gives you end‑to‑end coverage: dependency graph + SBOM export for visibility; Dependabot alerts and automated security & version update PRs for detection and rapid remediation; the dependency review action and repository rulesets to prevent introducing known‑vulnerable or risky packages; secret scanning and push protection to stop credential leaks before they land; CodeQL/code scanning (when enabled) for static analysis of custom code; security policies, private vulnerability reporting, and advisories for coordinated disclosure; dashboards, audit trails, artifact attestations, and SBOMs for governance and provenance—all orchestrated to reduce upgrade friction (version currency), shrink mean time to patch, and give developers fast, actionable feedback directly in PRs.
You don't have to do everything yourself. If you really can't do it all - then try GitHub Copilot in Agent Mode. It will do stuff for you. You won't learn as much using this mode - but it can help you when you run out of time and energy and brain cells... đź§
🧩 Finding Balance
- Delegate tasks when possible - You don't have to do everything alone. Automation, teammates, and AI tools are all forms of delegation
- Set realistic goals - Focus on what truly matters. Ask yourself: "What's the one thing that, if done well, makes everything else easier?"
- Take breaks and recharge - Burnout helps no one. Your brain solves problems better after rest
- Know your limits - It's okay to say no sometimes. In fact, saying no to good things lets you say yes to great things
- Prioritize self-care - Your wellbeing comes first. You can't pour from an empty cup
- Define "good enough" for different contexts - Not everything needs your A-game. Some tasks deserve a solid B, and that's fine
- Automate the repetitive stuff - Use GitHub Actions, scripts, and Copilot to handle boilerplate. Save your energy for creative work
- Communicate your bandwidth - Let your team know when you're at capacity. It's not a weakness—it's project management
A practical exercise: List everything you're trying to do this month. Star the three that truly matter. Focus there. The rest can wait, be delegated, or be dropped entirely.
"You can do anything, but not everything." - David Allen