[rohamg]

Task management, GTD, etc. helps but honestly, that level of productivity is somewhat of a prerequisite - it confers no advantage when playing ball with the big boys.

to me, "burnout" is about staying too productive for too long. i personally work to prevent that through disciplined unproductivity: i force myself to have down-time, get enough sleep, exercise as much as possible, i've even picked up reading books again and watch the occasional TV show. a good significant other also should help keep things in balance - and perspective.

this is a marathon not a sprint - and it's never as easy as it looks on techcrunch. ever. not only that, but a large part of the value you derive at a startup should be from the journey and not just the destination - don't forget it's the meandering off the beaten path that often yields unexpectedly huge rewards. keeping these axioms in mind every step of the way helps big time.

it helps to be doing this "startup thing" for the right reasons (there's nothing else you'd rather be doing - or could be doing), rather than to make money. it also helps to have an amazing team you love spending time with, complex problems you love solving, and good customers you love talking to.