I caught up with a founder who’d gone through a rough patch. He’d been working hard to get his company off the ground, like most early founders do. He hit a wall. After talking it over, one of his big realizations was that working from home had negatively affected his mental state, contributing to his feeling burned out.

As I’ve worked from home, I’ve noticed the effects of not getting changes of scene that signal my brain to enter and later leave work mode. I stay in work mode and end up working longer hours. I haven’t experienced the burnout that this founder did, but I understand what he described.

Upon reflection, this founder realized that working in the office energizes him. He enjoys the change of scene and draws energy from working alongside others. He has now begun to spend more time working in the office and is feeling better emotionally.

Being self-aware is important for founders. Understand your strengths and weaknesses. Know what you need to be the best version of yourself. And know where your breaking point is (we all have one). I’m glad this founder was able to identify what he needs to thrive!