The problem is that there are multiple workflows people use and dont want to change. I for instance rely on invox zero and calendar, so they function as todo list. Many people i know use other methods.
On the other hand, some people argue that if tou cant keep your todos in your head, you have a bigger problem ;)
i call a 'job' something that has a stable job description, clear career path and predictable roadmap. vacation becomes just another item on the calendar then, which is perfectly fine.
you can and should still excel in those conditions, but the project won't be jeopardized or stalled if you take time off. and when you come back, chances are that the specs of your project didn't shift yet.
there is a surprising amount of people working in jobs, even in technology sector, but they are not founders or employees of early stage companies.
and yes, if you feel like you need time off, you need time off. but planned vacations in this environment I just don't see plausible. I've never been able to even book a plane ticket more than a week in advance, because plans always changed.
I've never been able to even book a plane ticket more than a week in advance, because plans always changed.
Fix that if you can.
From your comments on this thread, I get the sense that you've let your business get out of control a bit. You think that it's all normal and part of the deal because it's all you know. But lots of people here are trying to tell you it's not.
If you can't mold the business you created yourself to fit the pattern you want, that's a big red flag. Now, it's likely that the pattern you want actually is to be occupied 24/7 and pour your whole life into your thing, in which case you've succeeded.
But know that it doesn't need to be that way. It's entirely your choice.
Great observation there. Wanna know a secret? You can demean and belittle someone's argument just just by taking it out of context anywhere on in the world, not JUST hacker news.
a) i'm not saying anyone should overwork themselves, you're seeing that in my post. all i'm saying is that even when entrepreneur (or a type thereof) tries to unplug, the brain still works on the same problems.
b) work-life balance is bullshit, doesn't work. you can't switch contexts like that efficiently. if you try and think you'll be able to, no surprise you need vacation as well.
c) i'm racing against wantrepreneurs who think they have a hard job building a startup because they worry about paying for office space and other non-essential things. as more cash is sent towards early-stage startups, I see more of this behavior emerging.
"work-life balance is bullshit, doesn't work. you can't switch contexts like that efficiently"
Efficiency is the anti-goal of a well-balanced life.
It's not efficient to drive four hours to Yosemite just to hike a new trail with my wife. It's not efficient to spend all afternoon trying to cook my own pizza instead of just ordering one for delivery. It's certainly not efficient to spend years learning to speak a new language for no practical reason.
However inefficient, all these "life" activities enrich and contextualize your work. There is nothing quite like a long hike to help you wrap your head around a difficult algorithm, or bringing a team together over some bad homemade pizza, or serendipitously running across a potential investor who speaks your otherwise "useless" second language.
This is what work-life balance is all about. It's about investing in yourself and, indirectly, your work. It's never efficient, but a lot of us find it necessary and rewarding.
