Before I started The Green Techpreneur, I burned out. In my story I wrote about churning out content at speed day after day, until I had lost all enjoyment in the creative process. And when you really care about the work in your startup, I know how easy it is to keep pushing.
Climate founders care about the work more than most. The mission is urgent, and that urgency can make rest feel like something you haven’t earned yet. But the founders who have been at this longest say the opposite.
It’s a marathon
“It can get depressing, but at some point I decided, I’m going to give it my best and still have fun and enjoy my life while doing it. Because, ultimately, this is a marathon.”
Christian Kroll, Founder, Ecosia
Christian meditates and cycles, “a nice way of getting started with the day, and ending the day. If you’re a founder of a startup, you need to take time to recharge.”
Killian Stokes, co-founder of Moyee Coffee, takes the long view too:
“We’re not going to reach the top of Everest this year, it might take ten years to get there, but I’m ok with that because I don’t want to kill myself in the process or burn out… I’d rather get to a point where I’m working four days a week and zinging it, but then having three days where I’m taking the dog hiking, or having nice long brunches with friends. To be able to give it 110%, you need to be able to recharge your batteries.”
Killian Stokes, Co-founder, Moyee Coffee
An exhausted mind makes worse decisions
“Balance is key. Exercise. Spend time with friends. Be outside as much as you can. An exhausted mind cannot be as objective or creative.”
Michael Oster, Ionic
Michael has taken a company to NASDAQ, so he knows what pressure feels like.
Josh Domingues of Flashfood has noticed the same thing in himself: without daily exercise, “over a span of 2-3 days, everything else gets worse, I’m more edgy. I don’t listen as well.”
Magnus, co-founder of CEEZER, is honest that he’s still working on it:
“I’m still learning in this department, but it is easy to forget to recharge and regain energy when you like what you do. It doesn’t serve the mission or the company if people aren’t energised. It’s not easy to step out – but it can be an excellent investment of your time.”
Magnus, Co-founder, CEEZER
That last line is worth sitting with. Rest isn’t time away from the mission. It’s an investment in it.
Balance isn’t a day off
Radu Puchiu, co-founder of Tinia, has the most beautiful way of describing it:
“I see life as a building. You cannot work only on one wall. Sooner or later, it will fall if not part of a structure. So it is not about a day off, but having time to work or build on different layers and parts all the time. Family moments and conversations, reading, cooking, friends gathering – these are intertwined with my work, study or professional growth.”
Radu Puchiu, Co-founder, Tinia
Investor Sarah Applebaum of Pangaea Ventures describes her life philosophy as “waking up every day and genuinely loving what I do, but also having balance – it’s not all about work.” For her that means: “I get my bike on the road, take the dog to the dog beach, have dinner with friends. If it’s wintertime, I grab my snowboard and head to the local mountains.”
Filippo Varini, co-founder of Imperial College’s climate pre-accelerator, shared a story from Paulo Coelho. A traveller is given a spoon of water and told to explore a master’s castle. He runs around marvelling at it, and comes back with an empty spoon. “The meaning of life is to enjoy the beauty of the castle without losing the water in the spoon,” Filippo says. “You should always be balanced and not lose sight of what is right in front of you.”
When you’re off, be off
“My mobile phone is never switched on. When I’m not at work, I’m obsessively not at work. When I’m at work, I’m obsessively at work.”
Chris Rea, AESSEAL
Not everyone can switch off that completely. But Bryan Eagle’s “reflexive walk” or Ciara Doyle’s 15 minutes on a park bench (both in our daily rituals round-up) show you don’t need a holiday to step out. You need a few minutes that are yours.
Your job is also to be happy
Killian Stokes follows two rules. The second is to make the world a better place. The first comes before it:
“I think life is a gift, so you should relish it. You should suck the marrow out of life. You should cook and travel and swim and go skipping and running and play the guitar and absolutely enjoy your life. That’s your job – to be happy.”
Killian Stokes, Co-founder, Moyee Coffee
Three things to try this week
- Book your recharge time like a meeting. A daily walk, a workout, a bench. Put it in the calendar and protect it.
- Notice your early warning signs. Josh gets edgy and stops listening. What are yours?
- Plan for the long climb. If this is a ten-year Everest, ask what pace you can actually keep up for ten years.
If you’re running on empty right now, you’re not failing the mission by stopping to refuel. You’re making sure you’re still here to finish it.
Building in climate? Tell us your story, and your answer could help the next founder through a hard week.
