Startup Working Hours: Burnout, Pacing, and Hustle Culture

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1. But, the problem with long hours is that they’re counterproductive: ““John Pencavel found that productivity per hour declines sharply when a person works more than 50 hours a week. After 55 hours, productivity drops so much that putting in any more hours would be pointless. And, those who work up to 70 hours a week are only getting the same amount of work done as those who put in the 55 hours.” - CNBC Report on Standford Productivity Study” Your body needs sleep, food, relaxation, and even boredom to function properly. This is especially true for those of us who do high-concentration, creative work (like writing, programming, and strategic thinking).

   In Founder sales time allocation

2. “I don’t think it’s fair for people to say that they work 100 hours. That’s just a PR move, like when Elon Musk sleeps on a hard couch in a meeting room. Why couldn’t he have a nice bed delivered to his office?” - Anonymous opinion on Quora “You might think of startup founders as original, free-thinking, creative people, but most of them are just as vulnerable to peer pressure and cultural norms as any of us.” The pursuit of press coverage and venture capital just raises the profile of these myths, giving outsiders the impression that these founders must be truly special. Remember, it’s a lot of hype, and that hype begets more hype, so while startup employees can claim they work an ever-increasing number of hours, it’s impossible to verify those claims or failry evaluate their output from the outside.

   In Founder sales time allocation

3. “John Pencavel found that productivity per hour declines sharply when a person works more than 50 hours a week. After 55 hours, productivity drops so much that putting in any more hours would be pointless. And, those who work up to 70 hours a week are only getting the same amount of work done as those who put in the 55 hours.” - CNBC Report on Standford Productivity Study “Your body needs sleep, food, relaxation, and even boredom to function properly.” A few years back, I ran across Bored and Brilliant, and it led me down the path of examining my own perceived productivity. It reminded me of the need to put down my phone and just think every once in a while. Regular introspection leads to clarity, focus, and prioritization that is extremely valuable as a startup founder.

   In Founder sales time allocation

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