How to navigate startups with a chronic health condition - IHTEFYW #2

Emails are always hoping to find us well. Many times they do not. Our series, “I Hope This Email Finds You Well” (IHTEFYW) shines a light on how we founders stay happy and healthy, while deep in the startup trenches.

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Working in a startup is hard.

Doing it with a chronic health condition can take that to a whole new level.

Growing up, I always wanted to do everything - to be a fixer, a problem solver, a creative, an individual with many skills and passions - what I later identified as being a ‘generalist’. But at one point, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to do anything, let alone everything.

In 2023, I was surgically diagnosed with endometriosis just before graduating. It felt like a curse overshadowing what should have been a joyful milestone. The relief of finally getting an answer for a years-long problem contradicting with the discomfort of an incurable diagnosis was tough. Especially at a time when it felt like the whole world was asking me, “So have you got a job yet?”

A pivotal decision

As someone who experiences chronic pain, I thought the fast-paced startup lifestyle was a no-go for me. How could I belong in a world where the constant pressure to keep pushing forward is so relentless?

That’s why exploring the startup world felt so out of reach. The idea of getting stuck into something I’m passionate about sounded amazing, but pushing myself felt unattainable. Still, I wasn’t ready to give up on my ambitions. Like most of us, I’d rather challenge myself than settle for doing work that I didn’t really care about.

So I jumped in and pushed myself.

I did it anyway.

And… I burnt out.

Learnings

Big life transitions are difficult enough, but navigating a chronic condition on top of that is even tougher. One thing I learned from my experience is that ignoring your chronic condition is certain to lead to burnout. I initially believed that founders were unstoppable forces who were unwilling to make allowances. But what I found from experience is that founders are humans too. They care deeply about their mission and understand that sometimes, you need a little grace to do your best work.

Of course, everybody’s experience with chronic disease is different. But here's my advice to anyone dealing with this in the startup world.

1. Give yourself grace. Acknowledge your struggles. Take the rest you need and advocate for yourself. When you find yourself needing a break, take it. Miss that meeting, work from home, decline that social. Your health is always the priority.
2. Test and learn your own best pain management techniques. Whether it’s taking a hot water bottle into the office or blocking out certain times in your calendar, do what works for you. If you usually find certain times of day harder than others, try to block out those times and schedule meetings around them. If movement helps you, block out 30 minutes to go for a lunchtime walk.
3. Regular rest is key. It’s easy to get in to the habit of burning yourself out, taking a big break, and then coming back and doing it all again. I’ve found the only way to avoid this is regular rest. For me, that means prioritising breaks, and managing my time outside of work to include rest for my mind and body.

One of the biggest things this journey has taught me is that having a chronic condition has given me chronic resilience. Celebrate your achievements, focus on the progress you've made, and if you want to talk to someone who's going through the same thing, my LinkedIn is always open. We’re in this together - let’s support each other.