Let’s face it, founders need to deal with operational work, efforts to grow their startup as fast as possible, and think about how to pay for salaries and other costs in the next few months.
But when he offered to create a ‘Founders Support Group’ to a group of founders on WhatsApp, nobody was actually interested.
I told him, it’s not that no founders would need it. But they’re ashamed to admit that they need help. They think that they have to be tough all the time.
When I told my mom I was a bit sick (gastric acid and stuff) because of uncontrollable stress, my Mom, bless her heart, wants me to pray more.
Also Read: Why successful startups often have a pair of founders
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that. Strengthening your spiritual connection with God is one of the solutions, but that’s not the only one. Contrary to popular believe, depressed people are not defined by their religiousness. You can be depressed even when you’re religious.
When you’re stressed, everything becomes irrational. You should seek professional help first and foremost. I asked my doctor, why my body is ‘betraying’ me. I have stressed in my life before, but never to this scale where I get sick and can’t be my full productive self.
He said because I’ve crossed my line.
The stress builds up and I let it without rebalancing myself every day. When it crosses some thresholds, my body breaks down. I’m officially experiencing burnout.
One of the solutions is to know your limit and allowing yourself to rest before you reach that limit. Sleep on weekends is the one thing my doctor prescribed me to do.
I know. Sleep on weekends? How is that possible? I mean, what’re those emails going to do without me?
What if you’re already stressed?
What about a support group?
My best friends are my first aid. I can talk to them about everything, from sharing my business plan to my fundraising plan. They can listen or they can give a solution, it doesn’t matter as long as I can let my worry out. Even with just a simple Netflix or karaoke session with them would shift my focus from my stress to joy. While I get distracted, this helps give time for my brain to fix and heal my body.
I also find yoga and meditation helps. Focusing on the things to be grateful for, my wins of the day, and recording it on paper has been my daily ritual. It’s a lifesaver.
Yuval Noah Harari, the author of Sapiens, said that future technology will disrupt our jobs and create an atmosphere of uncertainty. The one skill you would need is not coding, but self-awareness and emotional flexibility, of knowing who you are but also willing to do constant reinvention of what it means to be who you are.
The way he builds a flexible mind is by doing meditation. He went for Vipassana (10+ days of full meditation and no talking, no reading, no nothing), he meditates two hours a day (I can’t even stay put for more than 20 minutes) and takes time off two months in a year. And he’s very disciplined with his practice. I guess it’s different for every person, and you just need to figure out what works for you.
I didn’t say that I have all the answers, but I am working on it. If anything, my limited energy when I was burnout, helped me focus. I recognised my true passion to create, to tell stories, to teach and to share the good news.
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