Founders always talk about how to get more time back. The harder question I’m facing in year 19: what do you actually do once you get it?
About a year ago, I started blocking off my Fridays. Next week, I’m blocking Mondays. Two days reclaimed to do whatever I want.
Am I mostly still working? Yes. Because that’s what I love and what I’m good at. You don’t survive this long as a founder unless the hard problems are the very thing that keep you going.
But as the team has grown and needs me less, I’ve been asking myself: what else can I do with this time?
Naturally, my brain is inclined to just do more deep work. Start a new business or new project. More of the same…
I see people online use their reclaimed time for self serving activities: self-care/fitness, travel, time with friends and family.
>>> These are all awesome things and you should totally do them.
But something new I’m diving in to? Volunteering.
Especially if your founder role is mostly behind a screen, volunteering pulls you back into the physical world. It puts you around interesting people. You get to do work with your hands instead of your brain. And, it keeps you grounded.
Some easy ways to start:
- Get on your local United Way list. They’ll send you weekly volunteer opportunities. And, coming soon, a mega PDF of holiday opportunities your whole family or friends group can participate in [link in comments]
- Call your animal shelter. They always need organizers, dog walkers, cat cuddlers, or kennel cleaners. Fostering (kittens are especially easy!) also rocks. 10/10 if your situation can accommodate it.
- Visit your food bank. At mine, we pack bags for school kids to take home over the weekends, sort produce for free mobile markets, and even prep meals for seniors (having never worked on a production line, this has been particularly fun for me).
It’s just a few hours a week. The most rewarding use of reclaimed founder time I’ve found.
If you, like me, are starting to reclaim some time, how are you filling the space you’ve made?
