So, as some of you may have noticed, I haven’t been the most active blogger lately. In fact, I haven’t been that active in anything startup-related over the past few months. The reason is simple: I needed a break.
If you’ve worked in the startup scene for a while, you’ve probably noticed that it’s a crazy, chaotic place. It can easily take over your life. Everything you do, think, and talk about somehow revolves around your startup. In my case, everyone I was spending time with was also working on startups. All my conversations were about startups. All my waking hours were consumed by thinking about startups—and I even dreamt about startups. I didn’t have a life outside of it. I didn’t even have hobbies.
The startup life can be a lot of fun. The adrenaline is always pumping. You’re constantly on the edge of “making it.” You’re always working on that next amazing feature, chasing the next big deal, and trying to build the next big thing. After living this kind of high-energy lifestyle, it’s surprisingly hard to go back to a “normal” life. But—and this is a big BUT—if you don’t take breaks every once in a while, you will burn out.
So, after leaving my last startup, I decided to step back from anything to do with startups. And by doing so, I realized just how obsessed I had become. It took a long time to slow down and feel okay with not working constantly. I found myself some hobbies. I bought a modified 4×4 and started going on excursions into the highlands and glaciers of Iceland. I re-joined the search and rescue team. I started hiking, meditating, and even playing video games. For the first time in years, my mind wasn’t constantly spinning with work-related thoughts. It was an incredible and therapeutic feeling.
I’ve spoken with a few trusted people in the startup scene, and it seems like there’s a growing trend of taking a few months off between startups to recharge and focus on health and well-being. In the long run, I believe this is absolutely worth it.
If you’re between startups, take the time to step back. Reconnect with yourself. Experience the world outside the startup bubble.
Frumkvöðull í meira en 20 ár. Stofnandi 7 fyrirtækja og Frumkvöðlar-samfélagsins. Skrifar um ferðalagið — gott og illt.
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