Description: Whether you are a seasoned startup leader, or just starting your journey, you probably know the stories of places like Facebook and Google. They created these elaborate campuses - cities, really - to entice their employees to NEVER LEAVE. And it’s definitely got some appeal. You can eat all the best food whenever you want. Do any kind of exercise you want. Heck, even get your shoes resoled at no extra cost to you. Except the cost of your life outside of work.

Startups are exciting - there is real potential to have a profound impact in your industry. I joined a startup because of my passion for climate change, helping small businesses grow, and working with people I respect, trust and like. I poured all of my energy into solving a complex problem to drive demand for energy efficiency. I lived on planes. I checked Slack when I woke up, and responded to messages before I went to bed. I quickly realized this was the fastest possible way to burn out, lose good staff, and not fulfill our mission. Work/life balance is a misnomer; what we need is the right mix of work and life to, well, live our lives. It is easy to let the excitement of the vision overrun your life, and the lives of your most trusted staff.