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There’s a lot of talk in the business community about work-life balance and the importance of protecting your personal time to avoid burnout — and for good reason!
Despite this narrative, I also imagine in going all-in on what you are promoting in the early stages of growth. Think of it like planting seeds in a garden. You put in the extra effort in the starting to reap the rewards later.
For bootstrapping firms where every dollar (and hour) counts, committing to a fast timeline could be invaluable. Elon Musk it’s this manner: “You just have to put in 80 to 100 hours a week… if other people are putting in 40 hours a week and you’re putting in 100 hours a week, even if you’re doing the same thing, you know you can accomplish in four months what it takes them a year.”
Here’s my take on a founder’s 14-hour day, why long days are invaluable when you are just starting out, and find out how to reduce your workload as what you are promoting grows.
The Myth of Work-Life Balance for Business Founders
Work-life balance is undoubtedly essential, but it’s not at all times practical when you’re starting a business. Certain phases of what you are promoting require longer hours, while others allow for more flexibility and personal time.
As an entrepreneur, you have the freedom to decide on how and when you’re employed, but you furthermore mght bear the ultimate responsibility for your success. When your livelihood and the way forward for what you are promoting are at stake, embracing the hustle can provide the essential momentum for early growth.
In Lemonlight’s first 12 months, my typical workday looked something like this:
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6am – 10am: Quiet, project-focused work from home
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10:00 – 16:00: Meetings, team time and other office priorities
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16:00 – 18:00: Take a break, eat dinner and take some time for yourself
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18:00 – 22:00: Closing the day’s tasks, planning the next day
Of course, I realize that this schedule isn’t feasible for everyone. I used to be in my twenties and didn’t have any serious responsibilities when I began Lemonlight, which made it easier to provide my full attention to my work.
Plus, most of my “work” at the time involved brainstorming and planning with my co-founders—activities I genuinely enjoyed. This overlap of labor and play kept me energized.
Benefits of a 14-hour workday
Are you considering marathon workdays for your growing business? Here are some key advantages to contemplate.
1. Accelerated progress and profitability
Let’s start with the most blatant profit: Working longer hours means that you can get things done faster. Faster progress means that you can learn about what you are promoting, implement those learnings to extend results, and ultimately reach profitability faster.
If it’s essential develop a profitable business model as quickly as possible — and that’s the case for most firms — getting involved is often price the effort.
2. Cost savings
Funds are often tight in the early stages of entrepreneurship. By taking on more of the work yourself, you’ll be able to save on hiring costs. As a bonus, you’ll have first-hand experience in many areas of what you are promoting when you begin hiring.
3. Using Early Excitement and Energy
When you first start a recent enterprise, your excitement is a powerful motivator. Use that early fuel while you have it, then allow yourself to decelerate as your ambition ebbs and flows over time.
How to scale down
If you choose to work 14-hour days at what you are promoting, keep in mind that you’ll eventually have to back off. As what you are promoting grows, maintaining the rush will naturally begin to feel less sustainable.
When the time comes, use the suggestions below to step by step reduce your workload without harming what you are promoting.
1. Delegate tasks to only one department or team at a time
Start by delegating responsibilities to trusted team members, but focus on one department or team at a time. Delegating tasks often comes with a learning curve for each you and your team members, so take it slow to make the transition smoother.
2. Focus on the most vital goal
14-hour days could be particularly effective for prioritizing multiple business goals at once. When you scale down, you likely have no selection but to narrow your focus.
To get ahead of this limitation, discover one “key goal” for what you are promoting and focus your efforts on achieving it. This single-minded focus will help streamline tasks and reduce the need for long hours.
3. Create a clear to-do list
When you’ll be able to’t just get through your tasks day in and day trip, you’re more likely to run into a backlog. Find a to-do list system that works for you and keep on with it at all costs. I like the Eisenhower Matrix to assist me prioritize based on urgency and importance.
4. Invest in team autonomy
Finally, focus on developing the skills and abilities of your team to operate more independently. Investing in their development and autonomy will make it easier for you to step back without jeopardizing the company’s bottom line.
While I now not frequently work 14-hour days, I don’t regret the time I invested in the early stages of Lemonlight. Those long hours laid the foundation for our success and provided invaluable lessons.
If you are in the early stages of what you are promoting and have been working longer hours, keep in mind that this phase is not going to last endlessly. You are not improper to temporarily sacrifice your work-life balance for the sake of what you are promoting!
I imagine that 14-hour days are a temporary but often essential phase in an entrepreneurial journey. They are a powerful tool to get your startup off the ground, and with careful planning and delegation, you’ll be able to transition to a more sustainable lifestyle as what you are promoting matures. Embrace the rush now, and your future self—and what you are promoting—will thanks.