'Startuping' - Don't forget to 'switch off' once in a while pt.11
Part 11 of my weekly startup post
“Look we got a new follower! Our blog doesn’t have a good CTR. Look at how they designed their site, this effect really enhances the UX! Shit, our site is not loading good on mobile. The open rate for our latest email is 2.78pp lower than before, we are going to fail! Why didn’t he show up today? Is he actually sick or is he switching and leaving the company? Oh no, the interest rates are going to rise in the next FED meeting, am I ever going to get funding? The economy is terrible, nobody is going to provide us funding, this whole idea was a mistake, I am always going to remain a loser!”
What goes on in your head is loud and can get pretty disturbing quickly. I know firsthand that some moments are hard, uncertainty can kill your sleep, and as a first-time founder, you’ll likely second-guess yourself every day. This week’s blog is about the importance of ‘switching off’ and finding some time for mindful introspection.
“Switching off” every day for a 30-minute walk
I will share with you guys, how I personally found space for myself. It was a shockingly simple thing yet very hard to implement at the start. A couple of weeks back I had been experiencing too much stress, we just lost API approval from a major player one we were betting on from the beginning. That was a major setback, I thought that this was the end. Long story short, one silver lining that came from that endeavor is that I began incorporating a 30-minute walk into my routine.
So far the results have been great, seeing some sunshine & trees, children playing around, and people running has lifted a tremendous amount of stress. While just walking, accompanied by my family, it helps me switch off. The idea is simple and inspired by this quote from one of my favorite existentialists, Albert Camus.
“Go out for a walk. It doesn’t have to be a romantic walk in the park, spring at its most spectacular moment, flowers and smells and outstanding poetical imagery smoothly transferring you into another world. It doesn’t have to be a walk during which you’ll have multiple life epiphanies and discover meanings no other brain ever managed to encounter. Do not be afraid of spending quality time by yourself.” — Albert Camus.
Not saying you have to do the same but find something that has a similar effect for you personally, which could be cooking, brewing coffee, or meditation.
How it helps!
Here are some of the benefits I experienced while just switching off for 30 minutes every day.
Less stressed and anxious
More productive, I feel refreshed when I come back and usually put in deep work after that
I feel better about myself, and more confident in my ability to deal with problems
Thanks for reading! I hope you benefited from my experience. I am sure that you the reader have something similar in your schedule that you do every day that helps you relieve stress. Please do share and please do subscribe!