You Don’t Burn Out From Working Too Much — You Burn Out From Working on the Wrong Things

Burnout isn’t a badge of honor anymore.

It’s a symptom of confusion.

Most founders don’t burn out because they’re lazy or weak — they burn out because they’ve spent months sprinting in circles.

At noma labs, we’ve seen this pattern play out:

People keep doing because slowing down feels dangerous.

So they work harder, longer, louder — without ever checking if it’s still the right direction.

The truth?

You can work 14 hours a day and still feel energized — if it’s meaningful.

But spend 4 hours doing things that drain you, confuse you, or make zero impact, and suddenly you’re googling “retreats in Bali.”

Here’s the thing:

“Too much work” isn’t the enemy.

Misaligned work is.

So this week, before you add another task to your calendar, ask:

“Would this still matter if I did it quietly?”

If the answer is no — maybe that’s where the burnout starts.