Founders are busy. There’s a lot to do, it’s difficult to sort which things are truly moving us forward, and so we tend to do all of them, just in case.

But there’s a problem. Being busy is addictive and being busy lowers our cognitive ability and our ability to learn.

That’s right, we make poorer choices when we are busy all the time. And what is a founder’s most important job? To make decisions.

If we can make better the decisions, our business will do better.

What can you do?

– Break the power of addictive busyness by forcing yourself to take micro breaks during the day. 60 seconds after each meeting, no screens, with a simple breathing exercise.
– Schedule space in your day, and stick to not committing it to work.
– Ask yourself sincerely, “Why am I doing this if I know I’m so busy that I’m not performing well?”

There’s a lot of science on how rest improves learning and cognitive performance. Don’t worry about the perfect solution, just take some steps.

I’ve rarely met a founder who did not benefit personally and professionally from adding rest to their routine.