These Simple Routines Help Me Stay Productive as a Founder

I’m building products that are reshaping the future of entertainment with AI. My creative projects have quickly gained traction, drawing in massive audiences within days. But here’s the truth: if my co-founder and I tried to keep work and life in separate boxes, we’d fall behind. And if all we did was live for the startup, we would have burned out long ago.

What really works? A healthy routine and discipline. After testing dozens of practices, I’ve developed a framework that keeps me energized, fulfilled and capable of extraordinary things.

Here are some simple principles that will help both founders and the dynamic startup team maintain speed and feel great.

Related: 10 Strategies for Achieving Work-Life Balance

Treat your body like a high-performance machine

This first point starts with fulfilling your basic physical needs. You can’t hack your way around biology. The data speaks for itself: sleep deprivation (4–6 hours per day) leads to a significant decline in cognitive functions, including memory and concentration, along with a 63% increase in depression and fatigue. Meanwhile, regular exercise boosts focus by 21% and work motivation by 41%.

I’ve spent years testing everything from hormone optimization to tracking every metric imaginable. But what really works is available to absolutely everyone, and costs almost nothing.

First, sleep is your non-negotiable foundation. You need to maintain consistent sleep and wake times, having a full 8 hours of sleep. For me, a short walk before bed and taking magnesium and electrolytes works well. Most importantly: ditch TikTok before bed. Stay away from screens 1-2 hours before sleep.

Next up is exercise. This isn’t about looking good — it’s about cognitive performance. Strength and cardio 2-3 times weekly, plus 1-2 high-intensity sessions. Think of it as investing in your brain’s operating system.

The final element in this system is nutrition. Many startup founders forget to eat, which is a strategic mistake that kills long-term performance. My diet consists of healthy proteins, fats and green vegetables at every meal.

When travelling on business, I try to stick to the same system. It’s important for a founder to be flexible but disciplined when it comes to the basics. I also drink 3+ liters of water a day and take strategic supplements recommended by my doctor. If you’re considering supplements, it’s best to consult with a specialist to choose what suits your needs.

What consistently harms cognitive performance, however, are large amounts of processed foods, added sugars and alcohol.

Related: The Most Dangerous Word in Entrepreneurship is “Try”

Master your mental operating system

Think you don’t have time for wellness practices? Let’s do some math: TikTok + Instagram + News + Netflix = 3-6 hours daily for most people. Discipline = Freedom. The more disciplined you become with fundamentals, the more freedom you create everywhere else.

But discipline without self-awareness is just grinding harder, not smarter. I’ve faced several clinical depressions, emerging stronger rather than broken. The breakthrough came from understanding the deeper patterns driving my behavior.

Your brain is simultaneously your best friend and biggest opponent. I regularly ask myself these questions, inspired by Reinventing Your Life by Jeffrey Young: Why do I do what I do? Why am I here right now? Why do I avoid difficult conversations? Why can’t I commit to what I want? Why do I postpone important tasks?

These questions help identify core patterns driving self-defeating behaviors.

Additionally, I work with a psychologist and apply practices such as daily journaling and thought tracking based on CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).

I analyze events and my reactions using the following structure: Trigger – Automatic thought – Emotion – Evidence for/against – Alternative thought – Outcome. This helps transform vague, often subconscious thinking into observable data that I can work with. Such a way of diagnosing my mind.

Although more than half of startup founders experience burnout, only 23% work with a psychologist. Without self-knowledge, discipline leads to burnout. Together, they work for your fulfilment and your startup’s growth.

Use AI as your coach

Just as we use AI to scale my company’s content creation, I experiment with it to optimize my wellness. I turned ChatGPT into my sports coach and nutritionist, and you can too. Here are some basic examples of prompts that may guide you into developing yours:

For Fitness: “You are the world’s best sports trainer and conditioning coach. Create a detailed training plan for me to achieve [goal] by [date]. I have [resources/equipment] and can train [X minutes per day, Y days per week]. I also have these limitations/injuries: [list]”

For Health: “You’re the world’s best nutritionist coach. Analyze the ingredients I have available and create a nutrition plan for a day. I have [this time], have to prepare food for [N of people] and I don’t eat [restrictions].”

Of course, for any medical inquiries, it’s always best to consult your doctor first.

Related: What Can ChatGPT Do for Healthcare Practices?

How to get started with this system

Don’t try to implement everything at once. Pick 1-3 items from each principle and focus on those until they become automatic. Keep in mind that your goal isn’t perfection, but building a sustainable system that supports extraordinary performance over time.

Do this in collaboration with others. Find accountability partners committed to optimization. Ask yourself “why?” regularly. Track your physical and mental state. Use AI as your personal coach for guidance and consistency.

When you take care of yourself systematically, you don’t just survive the startup journey; you thrive through it. The choice isn’t between success and wellness. It’s between burning out fast or building something extraordinary that lasts.