Entrepreneurship is no walk in a landscaped park, and a breakdown is inevitable at some juncture. Numerous success stories are replete with roadblocks and fiascoes at different stages. The startup culture originated in the west and spread across the world. While USA has school and college dropouts becoming successful entrepreneurs, the same isn’t the case in Asia. Asians, look down upon failure, unlike the west where it is taken on the chin and an integral part of success. However, it is not business as usual as a guilt consciousness prevails.
The missing dots that continue to hurt the startup eco-system are connected to a reality check called ‘work-life balance.’ Guiltiness increases anxiety and affects health especially of tech-startup businessmen. The pressure of being successful plays havoc with revolving relationships – professionally and personally.

Red flags of unhealthiness
There is no denying adverse impact of the entire stressful startup culture. Founders undergo anxiety, accept extreme burdens and tensed relationships with employees and at home.They neglect and sacrifice family life over the altar of ‘work.’The struggle for tech-inspired start ups remains a reality which is ruining personal and professional lives. Imagine, only a few years ago, female employees working for Apple and Facebook were encouraged to freeze their eggs and postpone pregnancy. This itself is a RED FLAG. Why would any woman in her prime reproductive years revolve her life around a job? This is a classic example of an unbalanced work-life that leads to more angst. Is the sacrifice worth the job? Ultimately, most people feel frustrated with employers. This culture of long working hours need to be changed to improve relationships. Some founders are accountable for strained relationships as their vision and mission does not include responsibility of healthy families.
Yes, the guilt factor threatens startup businessmen today in many ways.

Being inhuman – Cost of long working hours
There is a psychological price one has to pay for entrepreneurship. Even founders have families’ and need realizing the stakes. Employees struggle to raise kids, despite dragging hours in offices. They forget home remains an equal responsibility and burnout at work makes parenting guilt-ridden. Both employees and founders establish a company by putting in extra effort in the initial years. They work almost 24 x 7 in the hope of succeeding but at what cost? Over the years’ tech startups employers realize that stretching productivity has taken an enormous toll on health and are feeling the burnt of it. Research is regularly being conducted to discover the correlation between long office hours and its impact on health and close relationships.
They include:
Impaired sleep and memory
Depression
Excessive drinking
Rising health insurance costs
Performances dipping with continuous work
Problems with the spouse
Kids being disgruntled
Elderly parents being neglected
Tech startups – Focus on maintaining work-life balance
Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and tons of other Silicon Valley tech-startups offer the best suites to their staff. To keep them working for long hours they have introduced gourmet meals, artisanal cocktails and refreshments. Employees enjoy exercising in state-of-the-art gyms in offices to stay physically fit. Those who are tired visit spa centers within the sprawling campus. But is this an existence anyone wants in the long run? Even smaller founders realize no matter how many facilities, a company provides, there is still an imbalance disturbing normal living. Where is the time for community interaction, families and a me-time walk on the beach? Current generation of tech-based companies appreciate the need for a ‘normal’ lifestyle. The focus on home is not lost either to retain healthy relationships: not out of guilt but more for the need to be with loved ones and children.
How a balance can be achieved?
Flexibility to work from home at times. It does not effect work ethics.
For a change it is pleasant to enjoy children surrounding the workstation than colleagues pressing for time bound projects.
Ditch professional goals for personal ones.
Prioritize family and increase productivity.
Replace gourmet office meals by allowing people to have informal dinner with family and friends.
Prevent burnout and walk out in the sun.
Success should not come at the cost of personal health. It is critical to handle anxiety organically which contributes to overall well being.
Crossing 40 years – Consolidate family life and friendships
Enjoy perks of being 40+ and step back to reflect on family goals and friends. You may not raise kids but devote time to the partner/spouse. Let go of the pressure to prove yourself professionally. Take an appointment with yourself and think about how to balance the other aspects of your life. Material possessions and wealth can now be traded with sleep, me-time and learning new skills. Snooze that 4 am alarm and dream more. Stay in bed and consume a day lazing about. Who do you have to prove to? Consolidate the precious moments of observing children grow into adults. Just because Apple’s CEO Tim Cook wakes up at 4 am, should you too? No, not really, being the sleepless elite are just a few in this world.
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CEO moms and dads wake up to reality
After the age of 40 years, it is challenging to reverse adverse effects of not sleeping enough. Today, both women and men face similar issues struggling to find a work-life balance. The guilt should come strong when the son or daughter’s birthday is missed not for an overdue project deadline.
Wake up, smell the coffee and reality.