your work-life balance is not for you
Startup founders have to be obsessive and whilst I try to maintain a balance, I let things slip. Yesterday I learned a lesson (again).
The last few months (well 6 really) I’d stopped doing yoga, deadlifts, squats, pull-ups — I was focussing on the business. My weight has dropped to around 78kg — too light.
Yesterday we’d been swimming at a fairly remote beach that requires visitors to hike up and out of it on a very steep incline — I’d got to the top, the day was approaching noon and the temperature climbing to around 30Celsius. I was stuffed and sweating.
We had another 30minutes to hike out but about 10minutes later came across an old gentleman clearly collapsing and a young man trying to deal with him. I could see clearly that the old man had lost mobility in his left side, so I sprinted up the path and took the weight on the left had side — oooff, this guy was around 95kg.
We carried the gentleman out but it was always me who needed to stop and have a rest, the young guy allowed me time to rest, eventually half-way up an incline I said I couldn’t lift him any more and the last few 100m we walked him out. The fact was: I didn’t have enough reserves to support them as well as what was needed.
Luckily he was able to use our support to walk out. Even more luckily a doctor was in the picnic area where we emerged and assessed him as merely heat effected and no apparent stroke.
When we talk about work-life balance, its often about some self indulgence, decompress or detox but its generally framed as something we do for ourselves. Its permanently in tension with the needs of the startup. Founders have to be obsessed but my lesson was that I’m still part of the human race — and we never know when we will be needed to help others: families, friends or complete strangers.
We need to be Present, Available and Capable for those around us.
Actions:
- review first aid and rescue carries (I’ve found loads of carry examples on Youtube)
- yoga, deadlifts, squats, pull-ups!
- Listen better.
