Balancing Work & Life, Motivation and Mindset
recommended resources from founders
Useful Resources
Here are some valuable articles, videos, podcasts, and books recommended by community members:
- Eco Nature Mindfulness retreat for outdoorsy team - Hiking Strong
- Books:
- The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
- Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
- Grit by Angela Duckworth
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Podcasts:
2. Recommended Tools
These tools can help streamline work processes and support a healthier work-life balance:
- Calm App: Helps integrate mindfulness into your daily routine with guided meditations. Learn More
- RescueTime: Tracks work habits and helps you manage focus time effectively. Learn More
- Asana: A project management tool that enables teams to create tasks and projects, facilitating collaborative, real-time project management. Learn More
- Dropbox: Allows sharing of content directly in any Slack channel or direct message, streamlining file sharing and collaboration. Learn More
- Google Calendar: Delivers daily schedules in Slack every morning and provides meeting notifications, helping teams stay organized. Learn More
- Google Drive: Enables creation, access, and sharing of Drive files from within Slack, enhancing document collaboration. Learn More
- Trello: Facilitates task management and setting priorities, allowing collaboration without leaving Slack. Learn More
- Headspace (headspace.com): A meditation app that helps manage stress and improve focus.
- Notion (notion.so): A powerful tool for organizing thoughts, goals, and milestones.
- Evernote (evernote.com): A note-taking app for capturing ideas and reflections.
3. Founded Outdoors Community Tips and Insights
- Time Blocking & Prioritization – Structure your day with clear work and personal time blocks. Identify non-negotiables (e.g., family time, exercise) to ensure they remain priorities.
- Leverage Your Support Network – Surround yourself with mentors, mastermind groups, and fellow founders who understand your journey. Engage in startup communities and accountability groups for guidance and encouragement.
- Reframe Failures as Learning Opportunities – View setbacks as experiments rather than roadblocks. Each challenge is a chance to learn, adapt, and grow rather than a reason to stop.
- Overcome Imposter Syndrome Through Action – Confidence builds through consistent action. Keeping a "wins journal" can help track progress and remind you of how far you've come.
- Optimize for Efficiency, Not Just Hours – Work smarter by delegating low-value tasks, automating repetitive work, and focusing on high-impact activities rather than extending work hours.
- Balance Big Dreams with Execution – While having a vision is crucial, progress comes from action. Set clear goals, break them into small steps, and establish accountability to stay on track.
- Prioritize Mental & Physical Health – Regular exercise, quality sleep, and mindfulness practices help sustain long-term motivation and resilience. Movement and self-care aren’t luxuries; they’re necessities.
- Take Digital Detox Breaks – Reduce screen time, especially in the evenings, to improve mental clarity, reduce stress, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
- Adapt & Pivot When Needed – Flexibility is key in entrepreneurship. Recognize when to shift directions without seeing it as failure—many successful founders have found new opportunities by pivoting.
- Stay Connected to Your ‘Why’ – When motivation dips, revisit your original purpose. Writing a “mission letter to yourself” can help you refocus during difficult times.
4. Vendors
Here are some vendors offering services that help founders manage their workload and improve balance:
- Virtual Assistant Services: Fancy Hands
- Wellness & Fitness: Calm Business
- Founder Institute (fi.co): Offers mentorship and structured programs for early-stage entrepreneurs.
- Y Combinator Startup School (startupschool.org): Free startup education platform with valuable insights and resources.
- GrowthMentor (growthmentor.com): A platform connecting founders with experienced mentors for guidance.
- BetterUp (betterup.com): Provides coaching for leadership and personal development.
- SCORE (score.org): Offers free mentoring and education for small business owners and startup founders.
- Coach.me (coach.me): A habit and mindset coaching platform designed to help founders improve their productivity and resilience.