Ask HN: How to Deal with Startup Stress?

Here's an edited version of an as yet unpublished blog post I've written...<p>* Get up, stretch - a bit of stretching from head to toe. It’s amazing what a few minutes of stretching does for waking you up.<p>* Shower, breakfast - this sounds obvious, but it was all too easy for me to get down to work, and skip the freshen up and food!<p>* Take a short walk - a quick 20 minute walk clears my head. I use this time to think of anything else. Even thinking about work is fine, because it’s away from a keyboard and screen!<p>* Stop for lunch by 1:30 at the latest - or whatever time suits you, but the idea is not to get too far from breakfast and too close to dinner.<p>* Get up, walk around the block. Again, this is like the morning walk - something to let the brain step back.<p>* Once or twice a week, step out completely, just do any strenuous physical activity for a few hours, where you have to concentrate your mind and body, making it impossible to think of anything else. This to me is the best break, better than a holiday. It’s a bit like hitting the 'reboot' button!<p>* And finally, before going to bed, I read. It doesn’t matter what the book - it can be work related or not - the important thing is to let my brain wind down away from the screen, and especially away from the internet.<p>Let us know how you get on with the tips that I and other HNers post.

You're well out of the 'easy' part of it, most people associate the first year of a start-up with stress, but that's because they never get to the part where you're successful.<p>One major source of stress is family stuff, I don't know anything about your family situation, but keep your spouse, if you have one, in the loop so they can anticipate when you need them.<p>It also helps to really learn how to delegate, and do it well.<p>Physical exercise has been mentioned a couple of times already, let me add my vote to that bit, it really matters that you are healthy in both mind and body.<p>Make sure you don't take your work home with you, work hard but don't kill yourself doing it and keep in mind that there is more to life than work.<p>best of luck! Looks like you are well on your way.

Exercise. I force myself to take a half-hour walk with a lot of climbing 3 days a week. It gets your mind off your problems, which is key.

Get a physical hobby. Running, bicycling, weight lifting, martial arts. Make room for an hour a day for it.

&#60;steve-jobs&#62; May be its time to change some things. You being constantly stressed out, while doing what you love, is a good enough signal. Listen to your heart. &#60;/steve-jobs&#62;