Audit This 1 Stat — and Dodge Founder Burnout.

I’ve seen founders burn out working 70 hours a week.

I’ve seen founders burn out working 20.

The difference wasn’t the hours.

It was this:

How many hats they wore in a day.

Context switching is the silent killer.

Every time you jump from:

• a product meeting

• to a hiring decision

• to a sales call

• to “let me just review this contract real quick”

…your brain leaks energy.

By 3 PM, you’re not tired.

You’re fragmented.

Here’s the stat that predicts your crash

Forget hours worked.

Look at this:

# of distinct contexts / # of deep-focus hours per week

The higher that number?

The closer you are to quitting your own company.

Try this:

✅ Pull up your calendar right now.
✅ Highlight every role you played yesterday.
✅ Count ‘em.

If you’re at 5+ contexts a day, you’re burning out — no matter how “few” hours you work.

The fix?

• Batch decisions.

• Buy back your time (delegate what switches you most).

• Block 90-minute deep-focus sessions like your life depends on it.

Because it does.

👉 Your burnout risk isn’t hidden in your hours.

It’s hiding in your calendar grid.

Best,
—Peter