The Founder’s Guide to Avoiding Burnout Without Slowing Down
I used to think burnout was something that happened to other people.
You know, the ones who didn’t have the stamina, the discipline, the ability to push through.
I told myself, that won’t be me.
Until it was.
And the scary thing? I didn’t even realise it was happening.
Burnout isn’t always the dramatic crash-and-burn we imagine. It’s not just collapsing from exhaustion or having an emotional breakdown. It’s more subtle, more insidious. It’s the creeping sense of numbness. The inability to feel joy in things you once loved. The loss of clarity, the rising irritability, the fatigue that sleep doesn’t fix.
At first, I ignored the signs. When I started feeling drained, I convinced myself I just needed to "push through." After all, successful people don’t slow down—they double down, right?
So I did.
I packed more into my schedule. I kept grinding. I sacrificed sleep, social time, workouts. I told myself I’d rest later.
And then one day, I sat down to work—on something I should have been excited about—and felt nothing.
Not stress. Not anxiety. Not even frustration.
Just... nothing.
That’s when I knew I was in trouble.
What I Wish I Knew Earlier
Burnout isn’t just about working too much. It’s about the imbalance between output and recovery. It happens when you constantly withdraw from your energy bank without making enough deposits.
And for high performers—entrepreneurs, executives, creatives—it’s dangerously easy to fall into this trap.
We chase success at the cost of everything else, believing that our ambition is enough to fuel us. But energy doesn’t work that way. You can’t outrun exhaustion forever.
So what do you do when you’re running on empty?
I went deep into the research, tested strategies, and experimented on myself. Here’s what actually worked.
1. I Stopped Measuring Success by Time Spent
For years, I believed working more meant I was achieving more.
I wore long hours like a badge of honour, telling myself that if I was putting in the time, I was moving forward. But that’s not how impact works.
At some point, I realised the best operators weren’t the ones clocking 16-hour days. They were the ones ruthless about what they spent their time on.
So I shifted my mindset from:
❌ "How much time did I spend working?"
✅ "Did I get the most important thing done today?"
This forced me to identify what actually moved the needle instead of filling my days with low-value tasks.
Ironically, when I focused less on time in and more on impact out, I started achieving more in less time.
2. I Built My Days Around Energy, Not Just Productivity
We all have natural peaks and dips in energy. The problem? Most people schedule their day against their biology.
I used to pack my calendar from morning to night, treating every hour as equal. But not all hours are created equal.
So I started tracking my energy levels throughout the day and rearranged my schedule to match.
High-energy hours? Deep work, creative problem-solving.
Low-energy hours? Meetings, admin, emails.
Mid-day slump? A break, movement, or a real meal (not coffee and vibes).
This one shift doubled my output while making work feel easier.
3. I Created a Hard Stop Time—And Actually Stuck to It
Most of us don’t have a work problem. We have a stopping problem.
There’s always “one more thing” to do, one more email to check, one more hour we could put in.
So I gave myself a rule: A hard stop at 6 PM.
Now, to be real—this doesn’t always happen. Some days, things spill over, and that’s fine. That’s life. But what I’ve found is that if I don’t set a clear end point most of the time, work starts bleeding into everything else. And when that happens too often, burnout creeps back in.
So while I’m not perfect with this, I try to keep it as my default. Because when I do, I work better, think clearer, and actually enjoy my downtime instead of constantly feeling "on."
4. I Treated Recovery Like an Investment, Not a Reward
The biggest lie about burnout? That rest is a reward you “earn” after working hard.
It’s not. It’s the fuel that allows you to work hard in the first place.
I’ll be honest—this is still a work in progress for me.
I know sleep is crucial. The research is undeniable. But getting enough sleep is something I still struggle with. Some nights I’ll get six hours and tell myself it’s fine. Other nights, I’ll prioritise getting a full eight. I’m trying to be better about consistency, but it’s something I’m still figuring out for myself.
What I have gotten better at is being intentional about other forms of recovery:
Exercise: Energy creates energy. Even on busy days, I move for at least 20 minutes. I’m currently doing daily 20mins workouts like this.
Breaks: Actually stepping away from my screen. Not just switching from one task to another. Taking time away to go for a walk or even just to step out of my workspace for 5mins
Saying no: Protecting my time for things that give me energy.
When I treat recovery as part of my strategy, instead of something I "fit in" when there's time, everything works better.
5. I Started Playing Again—Literally
One of the biggest unlocks for me?
I started doing things that had nothing to do with business.
For years, my entire identity was wrapped up in work. If I wasn’t building, scaling, or optimising, I felt like I was falling behind.
So I made a change.
I started picking up random hobbies. Not for productivity. Not for networking. Just for fun.
I signed up for salsa dancing (terrible at it, but it’s hilarious).
I got back into tennis—something I loved as a kid but had abandoned for years.
I even started playing club cricket again, after having to stop due to some injuries
And the unexpected result?
These things didn’t just make life more enjoyable—they made me better at work. They gave my brain space to breathe. They brought back creativity, energy, and motivation.
6. I Redefined Success
At my lowest point, I asked myself: What’s the point of building a great business if I feel terrible every day?
Success isn’t just about what you achieve. It’s about how you feel while achieving it.
Burnout makes you believe that slowing down means falling behind. But here’s the truth: sustainable success beats short-term sprints every time.
So I changed my definition of success. Now, it’s not just about revenue, growth, or external markers. It’s about:
✅ Feeling excited about my work
✅ Being present with the people I care about
✅ Winning in business AND life
Because if you sacrifice your well-being to build something great, you won’t be around to enjoy it.
The Conversation We Need to Have About Burnout
Here’s the thing—burnout isn’t just an individual problem. It’s a founder problem.
Too many of us are burning out in silence, thinking we’re the only ones feeling this way. But we’re not.
That’s why The Komo Club is co-hosting an event with Aussie Founders Club on March 20th in Melbourne:
Beyond Burnout: Honest Founder Conversations on Mental Health & Sustainable Success in Entrepreneurship
This is the conversation we need to be having—open, real, and practical.
We’ve put together a panel of founders who get it because they’ve lived it. Joining me on the panel are:
✨ Jodie Imam – Co-Founder & CEO, Tractor Ventures
Jodie is a dynamic leader at Tractor Ventures, offering flexible funding to help tech businesses flourish. Her extensive experience as a founder and investor, combined with her commitment to founder well-being, makes her a vital resource for entrepreneurs seeking to navigate the startup ecosystem successfully.
✨ Sonia Kaurah – Founder & CEO, Tala Thrive
Sonia leads Tala Thrive, an innovative platform providing culturally competent mental health care. Her venture capital and startup mentoring background fuel her mission to make mental health support more inclusive and accessible, addressing the unique needs of diverse communities.
This is going to be an unfiltered conversation about what actually works—not just the standard advice, but the real struggles and solutions.
If you’re a founder, operator, or investor who’s ever felt the weight of burnout (or you want to avoid it before it happens), this is one event you don’t want to miss.
Final Thoughts
Burnout isn’t a sign that you’re weak. It’s a sign that something needs to change.
If you’re feeling drained, uninspired, or stuck in survival mode—listen to it. Don’t wait until you hit rock bottom to course-correct.
Because real success isn’t about burning out.
It’s about staying in the game long enough to win.
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About me
Hi, I’m Rohit and I’m the Founder of The Komo Club, where I help high-performing founders and executives win in business and life through self-leadership and scalable systems. I also host The Startup Playbook Podcast, where I’ve interviewed over 200 of the world’s top founders, investors, and operators, and I’m a General Partner at Playbook Ventures, backing early-stage startups. Before this, I was a founder myself, so I know firsthand how messy the journey can be. Now, my focus is on helping others navigate the ups and downs—through content, community, and conversation.
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