26/02/2026
The Burnout Games: How Designers Can Win by Refusing to Play
You're playing a game you didn't know you entered.
And you're losing.
Not because you're not good enough. Because you're playing by rules designed to extract everything from you.
Your employer keeps defecting:
• Unrealistic deadlines
• Endless scope creep
• Weekend work expectations
And you?
You keep cooperating. Saying yes. Staying late. Delivering excellence.
That's not loyalty. That's playing a losing strategy in a rigged game.
Game theory research shows the winner isn't "Always Cooperate."
It's Tit for Tat:
Start cooperative
Retaliate when they defect
Forgive when they return to cooperation
Be predictable
Match their energy.
When they're reasonable, be excellent.
When they violate boundaries, respond proportionally.
Your nervous system will thank you.
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