The opinions expressed by the entrepreneur are their own contributors.
I recently came across a vacancy of a boutiques agency reading:
“If you prefer a clock, clock tality, we don’t fit well,” and
“Specific working hours don’t matter if you are hungry to grow.”
I have been enough to know what that really means: long hours, weekend -E -mails and a blurry line between work and everything else.
We would like to believe that we have moved beyond the crowds and are the era of well -being in the workplace. But vacancies such as these prove that many employers still sell burnout, just packed in the language of ‘ambition’.
I have lived both versions of the founder trip: the always on the grinding and the wellness-first rebuilding. I know exactly what the crowds take off from you – and how small, deliberate changes can help you feel better, to lead better and build a company that you don’t burn.
Related: Do not underestimate the importance of the well -being of employees. Your company will suffer the most
When Hustle becomes your identity
And why is that a problem?
START -UPCulture glorifies the idea that more hours are equal to more performance. And certainly, early victories feel good – that dopamine -hit keeps us grinding. Until one day, the crowds is Your identity.
In the early days of my company I lived with this mantra: “If you go home and the lights of your competitor are still on – turn around.” It worked. We scale from three filthy founders to a worldwide team of 500. But in the end I realized: if I had not placed the well -being of my team first, we would not go. Playing the long game takes more than endurance – sustainability is needed.
The data support this. In a recent questionnaire Of the 138 starting founders, more than half reported that they had experienced burnout in the past year. Two -thirds had seriously considered walking away from the companies they built. That is not a grit – it is a system failure.
Even controversial success stories are not immune. Take the loom co-founder Vinay Hiremath. After helping the company scales up to an output of an almost billion dollars, he is allowed: “I am rich and I have no idea what to do with my life.” His solution? Jump back in the crowds – because this is the only thing he knows.
Burnout is a quiet epidemic. The World Health Organisation Formally recognized as a “professional phenomenon” in 2019. It rarely makes the headlines, but it robs us of focus, clear decisions and, ultimately, the lifespan of the companies we build.
Related: 5 Leadership strategies that actually prevent burnout for employees
What I did to break the cycle
Health burns the performance – and it starts with you.
When leaders are well equipped and involved, everything works better: decision -making, teamoral, product speed. And it’s not just a feel-good theory. A 2024 Gallup study Of the 183,000 companies in 90 countries discovered that prioritizing employees’ well -being is a business advantage. This is what they have found:
- 78% less absenteeism
- Up to 51% lower employee turnover
- 32% fewer errors and defects
- Up to 20% higher productivity
- 23% greater profitability
These results are not magic – they are the compound effect of cultural choices. And those choices start at the top.
For me the turning point was simple: I was tired of being tired. I have shifted from obsessed about crowds to building a rhythm that supported the performance And well -being.
This is how that looked like:
- I set hard limits on working hours. I used to wear 14-16 hours as an honorary sign. But after 8 p.m. I would spend twice as long on basic tasks. Now I want to pack at 6.30 pm, which forces a better focus – and leaves energy for life outside of work.
- I gave priority to consistency over hacks. No detox or cold plunge. Only a steadily rhythm of short breaks between meetings to stretch, breathe and reset. It ensures that mental fatigue does not build.
- I moved my body instead of puffing coffee. Short training sessions replaced endless caffeine. Even a five -minute break helps to reset my energy and cognition. Trying new sports also improved my mental flexibility in surprising ways.
- I deliberately let my mind wander. Some of my best ideas appear when I don’t do anything – boring, meditating or scratching in a notebook.
- I protected my attention as if it were my most valuable source. Two hours of deep focus every day-not meetings, no multitasking-let me explore my ideas, form strategy and think in the long term without working.
And it wasn’t just about me. I brought wellness in our team culture with hiking meetings, breathing breaks and airy welfare challenges. Because a company is only as healthy as the people who build it – not just the founder.
Related: Why ‘always’ to’ is killing your innovation and how you can really break
If you only do one thing, do this
Give yourself permission to fully disconnect. When you log out, Real Log.
No weekend -e -mails. No late-night slacle messages. Don’t say that you have “limited access” in your Office message. Suppose you are offline – and mean it. That is how you build a culture where peace is respected, not hitting.
The truth is that I still have trouble sometimes completely clocking away. If you build something you care about, it is difficult to let go. But if you want what you are in the long condition, you must protect the person it builds – You. Wellness is not a retreat. It is not a reward. It is your basis.
And if we want a new era of work, it starts with building companies where people thrive, not just survive.
I recently came across a vacancy of a boutiques agency reading:
“If you prefer a clock, clock tality, we don’t fit well,” and
The rest of this article is locked.
Become a member of entrepreneur+ Today for access.
#scaled #company #people #Hustlebut #Wellness #sustainable #profitable #Entrepreneur