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I’ve been panicking the last few weeks. Trying to refresh, but constantly worrying about the company. Team, growth, product, fundraising. Incessant anxiety even when I’m not working.
Burnout just wasn’t fixing itself. Being stuck in one place + COVID definitely exacerbates.
Burnout just wasn’t fixing itself. Being stuck in one place + COVID definitely exacerbates.
The answer to “what’s keeping you up at night?” was everything. Literally everything. I woke up one night insanely worried that our slack channel naming conventions wouldn’t scale. Is this a real problem? Absolutely not.
I truly tried to rest. Give myself time away from working. “Enjoy” (lol) the holidays. I know that sleep and space are the best ways to solve big problems, and that your brain works things out at its own pace sometimes.
Yet every day felt like another failing. Everyone is waiting on me to kick off the new year. Set the tone. Share the insight that makes everything work.
Something was missing. Some piece of the puzzle was just a gaping hole.
Confidence
Leadership
Clarity
Execution
Something was missing. Some piece of the puzzle was just a gaping hole.
Confidence
Leadership
Clarity
Execution
Being stuck at home had me (the extrovert) in real purgatory. Suspended. Not succeeding or failing just waiting.
Other founders tweeting their end of year successes felt like daggers. Investors talking about how easy it is to raise were gut punches.
Still waiting.
Other founders tweeting their end of year successes felt like daggers. Investors talking about how easy it is to raise were gut punches.
Still waiting.
New Year came and went and the feeling didn’t change. Somehow, I thought it might? I didn’t know what I was waiting for. Inspiration, I guess.
Heading back to the office on Monday was starting to cause more panic.
Heading back to the office on Monday was starting to cause more panic.
This morning, on a walk with my cofounder, I figured it out.
What I figured out isn’t really important to the story.
That I walked straight into the answer I didn’t know I needed, is.
What I figured out isn’t really important to the story.
That I walked straight into the answer I didn’t know I needed, is.
The holidays can be so hard for founders. Burnout during holidays is extra tough. You don’t want to bring everyone else down. You don’t know how to ask for help because you don’t know what you need. You are trying to follow the advice of recuperating, but your mind won’t let you.
All I can tell you is my own experience. It took way too long and more than once I wanted to give up and “start working” on something. Just to do ANYTHING that felt like progress.
My personal advice: don’t do that. Forcing yourself to not work IS WORK, especially for founders.
My personal advice: don’t do that. Forcing yourself to not work IS WORK, especially for founders.
It feels awful. But you have to trust the process. Your brain is working.
You are smart. You are action oriented. You are a problem solver.
And it feels like it’s killing you to do nothing. Hustle porn drives your guilt.
You are smart. You are action oriented. You are a problem solver.
And it feels like it’s killing you to do nothing. Hustle porn drives your guilt.
But your number one job is to prioritize, and solve the biggest problems. Picking up busy work can seem like a good distraction, and it can help you process if you’re not already burned out.
If you’re burned out, though, don’t do it.
If you’re burned out, though, don’t do it.
Trust yourself. It will definitely take longer than you want. It won’t feel great while you’re doing it.
But the reason you are the founder is that you can see things others don’t. And you won’t if you keep your nose to the grindstone 24/7.
It’s not about “being the hungriest.”
But the reason you are the founder is that you can see things others don’t. And you won’t if you keep your nose to the grindstone 24/7.
It’s not about “being the hungriest.”
It’s about having the fortitude and willpower to do the right things. Even if that means not working so your brain can catch up with all the work you did this year.
If you’re a founder and you’re struggling right now, I’m in your corner. I understand. And I want you to know it’s ok to pause. Purgatory is about working your way to salvation, after all.
A few good mental health resources for founders: https://www.futurefounders.com/news-article/mental-health-tools-and-resources/
A few good mental health resources for founders: https://www.futurefounders.com/news-article/mental-health-tools-and-resources/
