Founders Taking Annual Leave
Roei Samuel
Over $8.5m ARR in 4 Years | I help to drive successful outcomes for start-ups through world-class reporting tools at Connectd | Exited Founder
Taking time off as a founder is - in my experience - a controversial topic.
[skip to the end if you want to get right into my advice re: founder annual leave]
I wrote a post a few months ago talking about taking my first “holiday” in 18 months – and safe to say, it got quite a bit of attention.
People felt that I was…
- promoting an unhealthy work/life balance
- setting a bad example for my team
- neglecting relationships
Others, however, felt that I was being both realistic, and relatable:
I wanted to unpack this a bit and start a discussion about what annual leave as a founder actually looks like.
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I have often compared starting a business to having a kid.
(Parents – stay with me on this one 😂)
For the first few years, you don’t sleep, and everything you have goes into ensuring its survival. Taking time off in the early stages, for a lot of people, can be a struggle.
Personally, I don’t resent that. I’ve talked a lot about my ADHD, and how I struggle to “switch off” and “unwind”. It’s just never been something that I have needed, and honestly, I’m happier when I have something to be working on.
This is my personal choice.
I enjoy the reality of constant access – no matter where I am in the world, I am available via slack or email.
When I go on holiday, I don’t work because I have to. I work because I actively choose to – I love what I do, and this is how I want to spend my time.
That is not to say that I don’t have a personal life, or that I’m burning out.
This also does not mean that this is what you should be doing as a founder.
The thing is, work/life balance is entirely subjective - dependent on the person. One founder’s average day could look like another founder’s one-way ticket to burnout. You have to work out your own process and figure out what is best for both you, your team, and your company.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Being a founder can be absolutely brutal.
You have to figure it out in a way that feels true to yourself. Not doing so can result in a void between expectations of what you can achieve, and reality – which, in turn, can rapidly lead to burnout.
Ultimately, there is no ‘one’ route to success in business. Do what feels right to you, not what you think you should be doing.
Founders – I want to hear from you.
What does time off look like for you? What advice would you give to other founders?
Founder at LYEONS | Charco
2yBrilliant post Roei, I haven't taken any holiday since I started working on parkinson's project and that goes long years back. No one forces me to not take a holiday, I just enjoy it this way - does not mean I neglect my personal life. How everyone decides to work /take holiday is up to them, whatever works for them and whatever helps them to move forward - there is no single answer. Let everyone choose what is right for them!
Founder & CEO at Hope | Building workplace wellbeing of tomorrow | Advisor | Speaker
2yI appreciate your honesty sharing your experiences, each founder has their own unique experience which appreciate too. Time off for me is spending quality time with my family, disconnecting from chats, messages, emails, my phone and laptop. To focus on my family 100%, not wake up and reach for my phone, turn off from the things that keep me awake (the good and bad) and be present. I won't regret spending time away from running a startup, but I will regret not being present with my children and wife, who at the end of the day, are the reason I get up everyday and do what I do.
CEO and Founder @ CREASALLIS | Innovation and New Platforms
2yYes, I totally related to this article. I do work when I am on holiday because I really want to. I love my job also! But, I do make sure when I am on holiday that I do have some hours free for just family time and turn my phone off... I owe my family that much!
Choose Joy
2yDo what’s right for you. I always find it bizarre why people need to be so opinionated about the choices of others…
CEO and Co-Founder BE School - The Spanglish Struggle is Real 😅Business English with confidence
2yI totally relate to this! 7 years in and sometimes I think I should just take a complete break for like a week from everything; certainly that may be a good choice both for well-being and to refresh my thoughts. BUT, I find the idea of letting emails and tasks pile up completely overwhelming, so for me not taking breaks keeps me more balanced. That could certainly change if another person can be left completely in charge of ops and I had a PA to respond to all my emails and just give me summary of what's happened. But meanwhile I'm with you on this one!