How to overcome Founder’s Fatigue

Everyone will tell you building a business is hard. Hard work, long hours, worries and a little bit of exhilaration thrown in now and then the keep you going. But we're never really aware of just how much that journey can take out of us. We slog along day after day, dealing with a thousand things, worrying that we're not going to have enough money in the bank at the end of the month and dealing with setback after setback. Finding clients is tough, you don't have enough resources and you sometimes get stuck.

I'm beginning to feel Founder's Fatigue

I'm building a product called Tornado Marketing. It's a self-study course for small business owners who want (or need) to do their own marketing. The outline for the course is done; there are 6 modules and some 34 lessons in all, and at the time of writing I've completed 4 of those lessons.

Last week I was supposed to complete lesson number 5. I didn't. Founder's fatigue set in and I just couldn't bring myself to work on it.

I had to take a break.

The break was a good thing in some ways. I was able to work on some web pages that needed updating for a long time, I had time to think about the course and how I'm structuring it, and I think I have a good idea of some changes I would like to make.

But I had to admit to myself that I had encountered what every founder experiences at some time or another — Founder's Fatigue.

It's been too many long days, long hours and not enough positive feedback. Not enough results that would give me a boost.

All founders feel Founder's Fatigue at some point

Whether you're a first-time founder or a serial entrepreneur, you're going to feel Founder's Fatigue at some point in the game.

We're all human, we all feel fatigue at some point and for different reasons. It could be purely from overwork and not enough rest; it could be because of problems that we don't like dealing with that sap the energy from us; or it could be from facing a seemingly never-ending journey.

But somehow we keep coming back, working at it and eventually breaking through. Here are four things you can do to help you through Founder's Fatigue and beyond.

Four things to help you deal with Founder's Fatigue

Here's what I've found works for me, and what I've seen other founders use to deal with sprinting a marathon.

Take a break

It seems so obvious but I've seen so many people not take a break when they so obviously need one. If you keep going when you're fatigued your productivity drops way down and you get less and less done.

So take a break. And not just a few minutes or a few hours - take a whole weekend off. And go hard-core; turn off all Internet access for the weekend. You will be surprised how difficult it is to do; and surprised again when you see just how much better you feel when you get back after the break.

Put strict time boxes around everything

Work will expand to fill available time. This is an old saying from my software development days. It basically said that when you ask a software developer how long it will take to do something, they will answer with a question: how long do I have? And believe it or not, they will use up all the time they have, whether it's a week or a month.

If you don't put limits on how long you have to do something, you will take forever. You will never be done because there's always some little thing more to do be done.

So put a time box around it. That's the time you have to get it done, and no more.

Get rid of interruptions

The biggest productivity problem we have is interruptions. When you sit down to do something that requires some non-trivial level of focus, an interruption sets you back way more than the amount of time the interruption took to deal with.

So if you need to get something done, take all distractions out of the way. I've learnt that I'm the most productive in my writing when I set all my devices to airplane mode, or turn off wifi to avoid potential distractions.

Reward yourself

You're working really hard and you deserve to reward yourself in some way to feel that it's worth it. Whether that reward is a nice dinner out, a weekend at home or a new gadget is up to you, but do reward yourself. You deserve it.

You may not succeed - at first

Dealing with Founder's Fatigue is particularly difficult because this is your baby, your passion and your life. So taking time away from it somehow seems like anathema.

When you try to take time out from your work the first time, you may find that you don't know what to do. There will be things that you've neglected and you need to deal with; catching up on laundry, running errands or doing admin work. And you just can't get your work off your mind.

The first time you do this you will wonder what the heck you're supposed to do. You don't have any hobbies any more, your circle of friends has dwindled and you don't know what's on in town.

But persist. The first time is difficult - and you will feel guilt. But you will come back refreshed and get more done in a week than you were able to get done in a month before.

The second time will be easier - and you will notice that the positive effects of the break or the reward were so much bigger because you were able to let go just a little more.

Have a business - and a life

One of the things I keep telling my entrepreneur coaching clients is that if you're not in peak performance shape, your business won't be either. You are the pivot around which everything turns, and if that pivot is falling over chances are your business will fall over too.

So have a business - but you have to have a life as well. If you don't, you may end up with a business and no life, or no business and no life. Neither of those options are attractive.

Make it worth it. Work hard, but have a life too.

2022-07-11

How to choose software for your business

Choosing the right software for your business can be difficult. Here's the process I use to choose the best software, and use software trial periods wisely.

2022-05-09

What kind of business can I build in 2022 (with little or no money down)?

There are six kinds of businesses you can start with little or no money down. Here they are, together with the pros and cons of each.

2022-01-08 14:00

A blueprint for a coaching business

Here are the minimum set of things you need to build a coaching business.

2021-09-27 14:45

How to double your chances of making the sale

This simple technique can literally double your chances of making the sale. Here's what it is, why it works, and how you can start using it.

2020-04-14 12:00

The COVID Opportunity

As we head into weeks 3 or 4 (or even more) of self-isoiation, the danger is that we succumb to depression and lethargy. But COVID can be an opportunity for us - here are three ways you can sustain yourself, help others and prepare for growth.

2020-04-06 15:38

Three ways to look better on Zoom (or any video call)

We're doing a lot of online meetings - and we're still learning to get better at it. Here are top three things you need to do to look good (or at least better) on online calls.

2019-11-25 14:00

The courage to persevere

When we're repeatedly hit in the face by things that just aren't going right, we can (rightfully) wonder if we should give up. Here's what the honey badger can teach us about perseverance.

2019-11-05 15:36

Pick one - the key to getting stuff done

When you don't seem to making enough progress, this one technique can help you make a lot of progress fast - by focusing on one thing at a time (and forgetting about almost everything else). (4 min read)

2019-10-01 19:04

Three principles highly productive people use

I've been a student of productivity for most of my life, and I've realized that, like in many other parts of life, there are a small number of principles that makes the biggest difference in the outcomes. (4 min read)

2019-09-24 13:00

Three things you need to know about marketing

Marketing can work without going over the top; but unfortunately there's no magic wand you can wave that will have people lining up for your products or services. Here are 3 things you need to know about marketing. (5 min read)

2019-08-20 14:20

A better sales conversation

Sales conversations - and making the sale - can be difficult. Here's how James added a missing ingredient to his sales conversations and made more sales in two days than in the previous month. (6 min read)

2019-07-09 13:17

The top 5 reasons your prospects are not buying

If you're struggling to make sales, chances are that you're suffering from one or more common problems. Here are the top 5 reasons they're not buying, and what you can do about it. (7 min read)

2019-07-03 12:58

Weekly Newsletter or Evergreen Nurturing - which is better?

Content marketing is a great way to keep your subscribers or clients engaged. But producing regular, high quality content can mean sentencing yourself to a treadmill of producing content all the time - here's how Evergreen Nurturing can help, and give your readers even more value. (6 min read)

2019-06-21 16:56

How to use RightMessage and ConvertKit to track website activity

How to set up RightMessage and ConvertKit to automatically track which pages your website visitors are looking at - and tracking their interest over time.

2019-06-18 20:57

The gap between here and success

There's a gap between where we are today and the future version of ourself that became successful. Here's how to fast-track the process of getting there - and changing ourselves in the process.

2019-06-10 10:00

How to get out of severe overwhelm

Sometimes you're so overwhelmed you just don't know where to start making order out of the chaos. Here's the technique I've been using to help me get out of that hole. (8 min read)

2019-05-14 13:07

The case for (and against) blog articles

Creating content is one way to get subscribers for your business. But there are better ways than just writing an article a week. (5 min read)

2019-05-08 14:11

Why time management systems don't work

Adopting a new time management can be exciting, but many fail to deliver on their promise. Here's why, and what you can do about it. (5 min read)

2019-05-01 12:46

How to start building passive income

There's a lot of hype around building passive income. Here's one tried and tested way, warts and all. (9 min read)

2019-04-16 15:57

Back office setup for an info products business

There are a lot of systems you can use to automate your back office. Here's an inside look at the systems I use for my info products business. (7 min read)

2019-04-08 22:35

6 signs your website needs help

Your website has a job, but it can't do that job if it's suffering from one or more of these 6 common problems. (8 min read)

2019-04-02 14:23

How ready are you to build a business?

Here are 11 factors that make a big difference in how successful you will be building a business (9 min read)

2019-03-26 13:15

When a business dies

A failing business is one of the toughest times you can go through. I would like to acknowledge your courage – and offer some words of hope (6 min read)

2019-03-18 13:00

Five rules for creating a work environment where you can thrive

No matter how modest your office or workspace, you can design it for high productivity. Here are 5 rules for productive work spaces. (6 min read)

2019-02-25 13:40

What kind of product or service can I sell?

Deciding what kinds of products and services you can build a business around can be tough. Here are six types of products and services, and the pros and cons around each. (14 min read)

2019-02-18 13:54

The single most important leading indicator of productivity

Productivity is a holy grail for many of us. Here is the single most important leading indicator of productivity - and how it fits into the bigger picture (6 min read)

2019-02-11 14:09

Can you actually design your lifestyle?

Can you actually design your lifestyle? The answer may be closer than you think. (6 min read)

2019-02-04 14:38

How to calculate your hourly rates

If you have to bill your work out by the hour, here's how to calculate rates that work for you. And other ways to think about it. (6 min read)

2019-01-28

How to sell yourself (even when you're modest)

Not all of us are confident telling the world how great we are. But you don't need to be a hypemaster to sell yourself - you just have to write down the facts. (6 min read)

2019-01-21 14:43

A roadmap for your Bullet Journal

Bullet Journalling is one of the best ways to organise your life and keep track of the stuff you need to do. Here's how to create a roadmap for your Bullet Journal. (6 min read)